Polyphyly, gene-duplication and extensive allopolyploidy framed the evolution of the ephemeral Vulpia grasses and other fine-leaved Loliinae (Poaceae).

The fine-leaved Loliinae is one of the temperate grass lineages that is richest in number of evolutionary switches from perennial to annual life-cycle, and also shows one of the most complex reticulate patterns involving distinct diploid and allopolyploid lineages. Eight distinct annual lineages, that have traditionally been placed in the genus Vulpia and in other fine-leaved ephemeral genera, have apparently emerged from different perennial Festuca ancestors. The phenotypically similar Vulpia taxa have been reconstructed as polyphyletic, with polyploid lineages showing unclear relationships to their purported diploid relatives. Interspecific and intergeneric hybridization is, however, rampant across different lineages. An evolutionary analysis based on cloned nuclear low-copy GBSSI (Granule-Bound Starch Synthase I) and multicopy ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) sequences has been conducted on representatives of most Vulpia species and other fine-leaved lineages, using Bayesian consensus and agreement trees, networking split graphs and species tree-based approaches, to disentangle their phylogenetic relationships and to identify the parental genome donors of the allopolyploids. Both data sets were able to reconstruct a congruent phylogeny in which Vulpia was resolved as polyphyletic from at least three main ancestral diploid lineages. These, in turn, participated in the origin of the derived allopolyploid Vulpia lineages together with other Festuca-like, Psilurus-like and some unknown genome donors. Long-distance dispersal events were inferred to explain the polytopic origin of the Mediterranean and American Vulpia lineages.

Neumonía de la comunidad en pediatría: Estudio descriptivo en un hospital de alta complejidad / Community-acquired pneumonía in pediatrics: Descriptive study in a tertiary-care hospital

Introducción: La neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) representa una de las principales causas de morbi-mortalidad en Pediatría. Su etiología es variable. Material y métodos: Cohorte prospectiva.1/04/2012 al 31/03/2013. Criterios de inclusión: edad entre 1 mes y 15 años, internados en el Hospital de Pediatría Juan P. Garrahan, Rx de tórax y clínica compatible con NAC. Análisis estadístico: Epi info 3.2.2. Resultados: n: 305, 55,4% (n: 169) varones. Edad (mediana) 13,3 meses (rango: 1-180). Enfermedad de base 47,9% (n: 146). Se identificó agente etiológico de NAC en 50,8% (n: 155); de ellos 79,3% (n: 119) fueron virus y 31,3% (n: 47) bacterias. En 11 pacientes (7,1%), ya incluidos en las cifras anteriores, se detectó una coinfección bacteria-virus. Tuvieron bacteriemia 7,9% (n: 24). Los virus identificados más frecuentemente fueron VSR (60,5%; n: 72), ADV (18,5%; n: 22) y Parainfluenza (8,4%; n: 10). Streptococcus pneumoniae representó el 38,2% (n: 18) y Staphylococcus aureus 36.2% (n: 17) de los aislamientos bacterianos (n: 47). Requirieron UCI el 17% (n: 52) de los niños y 1,6% (n: 5) fallecieron por una causa relacionada con la infección. La duración de la internación fue 11,02 días (r: 2-104). Predominaron los menores de 2 años (68,5%; n: 209). Los mayores de 2 años tuvieron más derrame pleural (13,4% vs 39,6%; OR 0,3; IC 95% 0,2 a 0,5; p 0,001), condensación lobar (37,3% vs 49%; OR 0,76; IC 95% 0,58 a 0,99) y pulmonar (5,3% vs 12,5%; OR 0,42; IC 95% 0,14 a 0,92) que los menores. Los virus fueron más frecuentes en los menores de 2 años que en los mayores. (51,1% vs 13,5%; OR 6,5; IC 95% 3,43 a 12,48). Conclusiones: La identificación del agente etiológico es alta si se emplean métodos convencionales (cultivos) y de biología molecular. Las infecciones virales predominaron en los menores de 2 años (AU)

Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in pediatrics. Its etiology is variable. Material and methods: Prospective cohort study.1/04/2012 to 31/03/2013. Inclusion criteria: Age between 1 month and 15 years, admission to the Pediatric Hospital Juan P. Garrahan, chest x-rays and clinical features compatible with CAP. Statistical analysis: Epi info 3.2.2. Results: n: 305, 55.4% (n: 169) boys. Age (median) 13.3 months (range: 1-180). Underlying disease 47.9% (n: 146). The etiological agent of CAP was identified in 50.8% (n: 155); of which 79.3% (n: 119) were viruses and 31.3% (n: 47) bacteria. In 11 patients (7.1%), included in the previous numbers, a bacteria-virus coinfection was found. Bacteremia was observed in 7.9% (n: 24). The most frequently identified viruses were SRV (60.5%; n: 72), ADV (18.5%; n: 22), and parainfluenza (8,4%; n: 10). Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 38.2% (n: 18) and Staphylococcus aureus for 36.2% (n: 17) of the bacterial isolates (n: 47). Of all children, 17% (n: 52) required ICU admission and 1.6% (n: 5) died because of infection-related causes. Median hospital stay was 11,02 days (r: 2-104). There was a predominance of children under 2 years of age (68.5%; n: 209). Children older than 2 years more frequently had pleural effusion (13.4% vs 39.6%; OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.5; p 0001), and lobular (37.3% vs 49%; OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.58 to 0.99) and pulmonary condensation (5.3% vs 12.5%; OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.92) than younger patients. Viruses were more frequently found in children under 2 years of age than in the older patients (51.1% vs 13.5%; OR 6.5; 95% CI 3.43 to 12.48). Conclusions: The possibility to identify the etiological agent is high when using conventional methods (cultures) and molecular biology. Viral infections predominated in children younger than 2 years of age (AU)

Efectividad de una intervención educativa para acortar el tratamiento antibiótico parenteral en infecciones moderadas y graves en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad / Effectiveness of an educational intervention to shorten parenteral antibiotic treatment in moderate and severe infections in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital

Introducción: Las intervenciones destinadas a acortar la duración de los tratamientos antibióticos parenterales son consideradas estrategias de utilidad para reducir complicaciones relacionadas con los tratamientos parenterales prolongados en forma inadecuada, la selección de resistencia y los costos hospitalarios. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la efectividad de un programa para reducir la duración del tratamiento antibiótico parenteral innecesario en el tratamiento de infecciones moderadas y severas en niños hospitalizados. Material y Métodos: Estudio antes después sin grupo control. Se incluyeron niños entre 3 meses y 18 años que recibían tratamiento antibiótico parenteral como tratamiento de peritonitis, infección de piel y partes blandas, infección osteoarticular, neumonía neutropenia febril sin foco clínico de infección internados en el Hospital Garrahan. Período Pre-intervención (Pre-I) 2011 vs. Post-intervención 2012. Intervención: talleres interactivos, difusión de algoritmos diagnósticos y de tratamiento de las infecciones consideradas y monitoreo regular de las prescripciones antibióticas parenterales y su duración. Análisis estadístico: STATA version 8.0 software. Resultados: Pre-I vs. post-I se incluyeron un total de 194 vs. 227 pacientes respectivamente. La mediana de edad fue de 49 meses (RIC: 19-92 m) vs. 39 meses (13-108m), respectivamente p>0.05., se obtuvo documentación microbiológica en 52 (27%) vs. 63 (28%), p>0.05. La mediana de días de tratamiento antibiótico parenteral según pre vs. post I fue de 6 días (RIC: 5-7d.) vs. 3 días (RIC 2-4) para Infección de piel y partes blandas, 5 días (RIC: 3-8) vs. 4 días (RIC 3-6) para neumonía, 6 días (RIC:5-8) vs. 4 días (RIC:4-5) para peritonitis, 7 días(RIC: 6-8) vs. 5 días (RIC: 5-7 días) para infecciones osteoarticulares y 5 días (RIC: 4-6) vs. 4 días (RIC: 3-5) para neutropenia febril sin foco clínico de infección. Mediana del total de días de tratamiento antibiótico parenteral pre-I vs. post-I fue 6.5 días (RIC: 5-7) vs. 4 días (RIC: 4-5), p<0.01, la mediana días totales de internación fue de 7(6-8) vs. 5 (5-6) p<0.01. Conclusiones: Se observó una reducción en la duración de los tratamientos endovenosos de infecciones moderadas y graves en el periodo post-intervención generando una mayor disponibilidad de camas en la institución (au)

Introduction: Interventions to shorten parenteral antibiotic treatment are considered useful strategies to reduce complications related to inadequately long parenteral treatment, resistance, and hospital costs. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a program for the reduction of unnecessary parenteral antibiotic treatment in the management of hospitalized children with moderate and severe infections. Material and methods: A before-and-after study without control group. Children between 3 months and 18 years of age receiving parental antibiotics for the treatment of peritonitis, skin and soft tissue infection, osteoarticular infection, pneumonia, and febrile neutropenia without a clear focus of infection admitted to the Garrahan Hospital were included in the study. Pre-intervention period (Pre-I) 2011 vs. post-intervention period 2012. Intervention: Interactive workshops, diffusion of diagnostic and treatment algorithms for infections used, and regular monitoring of prescriptions for parenteral antibiotics and their duration. Statistical analysis: STATA version 8.0 software. Results: In the pre-I vs. post-I a total of 194 vs. 227 patients were included, respectively. Median age was 49 months (IQR: 19-92 m) vs. 39 months (13-108 m), respectively, p>0.05. Microbiological documentation was obtained in 52 (27%) vs. 63 (28%) patients, p>0.05. Median days of parenteral antibiotic treatment in the pre vs. post I period was 6 days (IQR: 5-7 d) vs. 3 days (IQR: 2-4 d) for skin and soft tissue infection, 5 days (IQR: 3-8) vs. 4 days (IQR: 3-6) for pneumonia, 6 days (IQR: 5-8) vs. 4 days (IQR: 4-5) for peritonitis, 7 days (IQR: 6-8) vs. 5 days (IQR: 5-7 days) for osteoarticular infections, and 5 days (IQR: 4-6) vs. 4 days (IQR: 3-5) for febrile neutropenia without a clear focus of infection. Median total days of parenteral antibiotic treatment in the pre vs. post I period was 6.5 days (IQR: 5-7) vs. 4 days (IQR: 4-5), p<0.01 and the median total days of length of hospital stay was 7 (IQR: 6-8) vs. 5 (IQR: 5-6), p<0.01. Conclusions: A decrease in the duration of intravenous treatment duration for moderate and severe infections was observed in the post-intervention period leading to an improved availability of beds at the institution (AU)

Tuberculosis congénita / Congenital tuberculosis

No disponible

Infección por metapneumovirus en pacientes internados en un hospital pediátrico / Metapneumovirus infection in patients in a pediatric hospital

La infección respiratoria es un importante motivo de internación en pediatría. Ultimamente se identificó a los Metapneumovirus como agentes etiológicos de infecciones respiratorias. Se estudiaron 897 niños internados a los cuales se les realizó el estudio de detección de virus respiratorios, incluyendo Metapneumovirus, por inmunofluorescencia indirecta entre noviembre y diciembre de 2009. Se detectaron 55 pacientes con muestras positivas para virus respiratorios en secreciones nasofaringeas: 33 de ellas fueron positivas para Metapneumovirus. Se analizaron las características epidemiológicas, clínicas y evolutivas de niños con Metapneumovirus en forma retrospectiva. La edad media fue de 45 meses (r =0 a 204) y el 60% eran mayores de un año. Diecisiete de los mayores de un año (85%) presentaron comorbilidades. La bronquiolitis fue la forma clínica más frecuente en los menores de un año [9 (69%) y 8 (61%)] requirieron oxígeno. Todos tuvieron buena evolución. Conclusiones: Metapneumovirus fue causa de internación en los menores de un año y en los mayores con enfermedad de base. La presentación clínica fue similar a la producida por otros virus. Se observó su predominio sobre otros virus como causa de infección respiratoria entre noviembre y diciembre de 2009.

Respiratory infection is a common cause for hospital admission in children. Recently, the metapneumovirus has been identified as a causative agent of respiratory infection. Between Novem-ber and December 2009, 897 pediatric inpatients were studied for respiratory viruses, including the metapneumovirus, using indirect immunofluorescence techniques. Of all patients, 55 had positive nasopharyngeal samples for respiratory viruses; 33 were positive for the metapneumovirus. The epidemio-logical and clinical features and outcome of the children with metapneumovirus were retrospectively analyzed. Mean age was 45 months (r = 0 to 204) and 60% was older than one year. Seventeen of the children older than one year (85%) presented with comorbidities. Bronchiolitis was the most com-mon clinical presentation in children younger than one year. Nine (69%) and eight (61%) children, respectively, required oxygen therapy. Outcome was good in all patients. Conclu-sions: Metapneumovirus was the cause of hospital admission in children under one year of age and in children older than one year with an underlying disease. Symptoms were similar to those produced by other viruses. Between November and December 2009, the metapneumovirus was more commonly observed than other viruses as a cause of respiratory infection.

Características epidemiológicas y clínicas de la infección por el nuevo virus de influenza H1N1 en pacientes internados en un hospital pediátrico / Epidemiological and clinical features of infection with the new influenza H1N1 virus in patients admitted to a pediatric hospital

A fines de marzo del 2009 un brote por Influenza A H1N1 (IAH1N1) fue detectado en México. En Argentina el primer caso confirmado fue a mediados de mayo. Objetivo: Analizar características epidemiológicas y clínicas de los pacientes internados con infección confirmada por IA H1N1. Métodos: estudio descriptivo analítico de los pacientes internados con confirmación diagnóstica de IA (H1N1) del 1 junio al 8 julio 2009. Resultados: Un total de 105 pacientes fueron evaluados (80% tenían enfermedad de base previa). La mediana de edad fue de 36 meses (RIC: 11-97 m). Los síntomas clínicos más frecuentes fueron CVAS (100%), fiebre (86.7%), un tercio presentó cuadro gastrointestinal. El 23.81% requirió ingreso a UCI. Seis pacientes (5.7%) fallecieron durante el período de estudio. La mediana de edad fue menor en niños sin patología preexistente (13 m vs. 50 m. p< 0.01). El del tiempo transcurrido desde el inicio de los síntomas hasta el comienzo del tratamiento con oseltamivir fue mayor en: pacientes con neumonía (p0.039), requerimiento de oxígeno suplementario (p <0.01) e internación en UCI (p 0.023). La internación fue más prolongada en este grupo de pacientes (p<0.001). En conclusión: la mayoría de los pacientes tenían enfermedad de base, un porcentaje elevado requirió cuidados intensivos y la demora en el inicio del tratamiento podría asociarse con formas graves (AU)

At the end of March 2009, an outbreak of influenza A H1N1 (IAH1N1) was detected in Mexico. In Argentina, the first case was confirmed in mid May. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological and clinical features of the patients who were admitted to hospital because of a confirmed IA H1N1 infection. Methods: A descriptive analytical study of the patients hospitalized with a confirmed diagnosis of IA (H1N1) between June 1 and July 8, 2009. Results: A total of 105 patients were evaluated (80% had a previous underlying disease). Median age was 36 months (range: 11-97 m). The most frequent clinical symptoms found were upper respiratory tract infection (100%) and fever (86.7%). One third of the patients had gastrointestinal symptoms. Admission to the ICU was required in 23.81%. Six patients (5.7%) died during the study period. The median age was younger in patients without a preexisting pathology (13 m vs. 50 m. p< 0.01). The time lapse between symptom onset and oseltamivir treatment initiation was longer in patients with pneumonia (p= 0.039), in those who required oxygen supplementation (p <0.01), and in those who were admitted to the ICU (p= 0.023). Hospitalization was the longest in this group of patients (p<0.001). In conclusion, the majority of patients had an underlying disease, a high percentage of patients required admission to the ICU, and delay to treatment initiation could be associated with disease severity (AU)

Crystal structure determination at 1.4 A resolution of ferredoxin from the green alga Chlorella fusca.

BACKGROUND: [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins, also called plant-type ferredoxins, are low-potential redox proteins that are widely distributed in biological systems. In photosynthesis, the plant-type ferredoxins function as the central molecule for distributing electrons from the photolysis of water to a number of ferredox-independent enzymes, as well as to cyclic photophosphorylation electron transfer. This paper reports only the second structure of a [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from a eukaryotic organism in its native form. RESULTS: Ferredoxin from the green algae Chlorella fusca has been purified, characterised, crystallised and its structure determined to 1.4 A resolution - the highest resolution structure published to date for a plant-type ferredoxin. The structure has the general features of the plant-type ferredoxins already described, with conformational differences corresponding to regions of higher mobility. Immunological data indicate that a serine residue within the protein is partially phosphorylated. A slightly electropositive shift in the measured redox potential value, -325 mV, is observed in comparison with other ferredoxins. CONCLUSIONS: This high-resolution structure provides a detailed picture of the hydrogen-bonding pattern around the [2Fe-2S] cluster of a plant-type ferredoxin; for the first time, it was possible to obtain reliable error estimates for the geometrical parameters. The presence of phosphoserine in the protein indicates a possible mechanism for the regulation of the distribution of reducing power from the photosynthetic electron-transfer chain.

[Using System DIA software for the detection and automatic correction of errors in the data compiled using the basic questionnaire from the 1991 population census]. / Uso do Sistema DIA para a deteccao e correcao automatica de erros nos dados do questionario basico do censo demografico de 1991.

PIP: "This paper deals with aspects of the application of the generalized data editing and imputation software named DIA to the 1991 Population Census [of Brazil] Basic Questionnaire. This software, developed by the Spanish National Statistical Institute, handles editing and imputation of categorical data in one processing cycle and provides comprehensive information to control and assess the automatic correction process. The analysis reveals the data quality and efficiency of the software adopted, which ensures data consistency while preserving basic distribution properties." (EXCERPT)^ieng

Isolation and characterization of two different flavodoxins from the eukaryote Chlorella fusca.

Two different molecular forms of flavodoxin from the green alga Chlorella fusca have been purified to homogeneity and their properties compared. The molecular masses are 22 kDa (flavodoxin I) and 20 kDa (flavodoxin II). Western blots of axenic crude extract show the two bands. Both are single polypeptide chains and their N-terminal sequences differ but are very similar. Each form contains 1 mol of FMN/mol of apoprotein, exhibits a typical flavodoxin u.v.-visible absorption spectrum and does not contain covalently bound phosphate. The oxidation-reduction properties of the FMN in the flavodoxins differ considerably. Redox potentials of flavodoxin I at pH8 are -240 mV for the oxidized/semiquinone couple and -350 mV for the semiquinone/hydroquinone couple. Flavodoxin II gives more electronegative values: -278 mV and -458 mV respectively. Flavodoxin II fulfils better the redox requirements for photosynthetic electron transport and, as expected, it is more efficient at mediating NADP+ photoreduction in the photosynthetic electron flow. A new h.p.l.c. method for flavodoxin purification is described, which is useful for the isolation of very similar anionic proteins.