A Discussion on the Application of Terminology for Urban Soil Sealing Mitigation Practices.

Soil sealing is one of the most serious environmental problems today regarding its impact on cities. This article presents an analysis of the different urban practices currently used to mitigate the effects of soil sealing in urban areas. The main typologies, characteristics, differences, similarities and objectives have been considered. The practices analyzed were SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems), LIDs (Low Impact Developments), BMPs (Best Management Practices), WSUD (Water Sensitive Urban Design), GI (Green Infrastructure), and NbS (Nature-based Solutions). To understand the impact of these terms, an analysis of their presence in the scientific literature over the last 10 years is carried out. The results indicate that the trend in the use of these terms is increasing, with the number of articles having doubled in the last 10 years. This indicates the importance that the problem of soil sealing has acquired in the world, and the relevant environmental benefits of addressing it.

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs.

To control community transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the 2020 global pandemic, most countries implemented strategies based on direct human testing, face covering, and surface disinfection. Under the assumption that the main route of transmission includes aerosols and respiratory droplets, efforts to detect SARS-CoV-2 in fomites have focused on locations suspected of high prevalence (e.g., hospital wards, cruise ships, and mass transportation systems). To investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces in the urban environment that are rarely cleaned and seldomly disinfected, 350 citizens were enlisted from the greater San Diego County. In total, these citizen scientists collected 4,080 samples. An online platform was developed to monitor sampling kit delivery and pickup, as well as to collect sample data. The sampling kits were mostly built from supplies available in pandemic-stressed stores. Samples were processed using reagents that were easy to access despite the recurrent supply shortage. The methods used were highly sensitive and resistant to inhibitors that are commonly present in environmental samples. The proposed experimental design and processing methods were successful at engaging numerous citizen scientists who effectively gathered samples from diverse surface areas. The workflow and methods described here are relevant to survey the urban environment for other viruses, which are of public health concern and pose a threat for future pandemics.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on Surfaces of Public Places and a Transportation System Located in a Densely Populated Urban Area in South America.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible RNA virus that causes COVID-19. Being aware of the presence of the virus on different types of surfaces and in different environments, and having a protocol for its detection, is important to understand the dynamics of the virus and its shedding patterns. In Ecuador, the detection of viral RNA in urban environmental samples has not been a priority. The present study analyzed samples from two densely populated neighborhoods and one public transportation system in Quito, Ecuador. Viral RNA presence was assessed using RT-LAMP. Twenty-eight out of 300 surfaces tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (9.33%). Frequently touched surfaces, especially in indoor spaces and on public transportation, were most likely to be positive for viral RNA. Positivity rate association for the two neighborhoods and for the surface type was not found. This study found viral RNA presence on urban surfaces; this information provides an insight into viral dissemination dynamics. Monitoring environmental SARS-CoV-2 could support the public health prevention strategies in Quito, Ecuador.

Handwashing and Detergent Treatment Greatly Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load on Halloween Candy Handled by COVID-19 Patients.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and potential public health implications, we are publishing this peer-reviewed manuscript in its accepted form. The final, copyedited version of the paper will be available at a later date. Although SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets and aerosols, transmission by fomites remains plausible. During Halloween, a major event for children in numerous countries, SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk via candy fomites worries many parents. To address this concern, we enrolled 10 recently diagnosed asymptomatic or mildly/moderately symptomatic COVID-19 patients to handle typical Halloween candy (pieces individually wrapped) under three conditions: normal handling with unwashed hands, deliberate coughing and extensive touching, and normal handling following handwashing. We then used a factorial design to subject the candies to two post-handling treatments: no washing (untreated) and household dishwashing detergent. We measured SARS-CoV-2 load by RT-qPCR and LAMP. From the candies not washed post-handling, we detected SARS-CoV-2 on 60% of candies that were deliberately coughed on, 60% of candies normally handled with unwashed hands, but only 10% of candies handled after hand washing. We found that treating candy with dishwashing detergent reduced SARS-CoV-2 load by 62.1% in comparison to untreated candy. Taken together, these results suggest that although the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by fomites is low even from known COVID-19 patients, viral RNA load can be reduced to near zero by the combination of handwashing by the infected patient and ≥1 minute detergent treatment after collection. We also found that the inexpensive and fast LAMP protocol was more than 80% concordant with RT-qPCR.IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic is leading to important tradeoffs between risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and mental health due to deprivation from normal activities, with these impacts being especially profound in children. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Halloween activities will be curtailed as a result of the concern that candy from strangers might act as fomites. Here we demonstrate that these risks can be mitigated by ensuring that prior to handling candy, the candy giver washes their hands, and by washing collected candy with household dishwashing detergent. Even in the most extreme case, with candy deliberately coughed on by known COVID-19 patients, viral load was reduced dramatically after washing with household detergent. We conclude that with reasonable precautions, even if followed only by either the candy giver or the candy recipient, the risk of viral transmission by this route is very low.

A Distinct Contractile Injection System Gene Cluster Found in a Majority of Healthy Adult Human Microbiomes.

Many commensal bacteria antagonize each other or their host by producing syringe-like secretion systems called contractile injection systems (CIS). Members of the Bacteroidales family have been shown to produce only one type of CIS-a contact-dependent type 6 secretion system that mediates bacterium-bacterium interactions. Here, we show that a second distinct cluster of genes from Bacteroidales bacteria from the human microbiome may encode yet-uncharacterized injection systems that we term Bacteroidales injection systems (BIS). We found that BIS genes are present in the gut microbiomes of 99% of individuals from the United States and Europe and that BIS genes are more prevalent in the gut microbiomes of healthy individuals than in those individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Gene clusters similar to that of the BIS mediate interactions between bacteria and diverse eukaryotes, like amoeba, insects, and tubeworms. Our findings highlight the ubiquity of the BIS gene cluster in the human gut and emphasize the relevance of the gut microbiome to the human host. These results warrant investigations into the structure and function of the BIS and how they might mediate interactions between Bacteroidales bacteria and the human host or microbiome.IMPORTANCE To engage with host cells, diverse pathogenic bacteria produce syringe-like structures called contractile injection systems (CIS). CIS are evolutionarily related to the contractile tails of bacteriophages and are specialized to puncture membranes, often delivering effectors to target cells. Although CIS are key for pathogens to cause disease, paradoxically, similar injection systems have been identified within healthy human microbiome bacteria. Here, we show that gene clusters encoding a predicted CIS, which we term Bacteroidales injection systems (BIS), are present in the microbiomes of nearly all adult humans tested from Western countries. BIS genes are enriched within human gut microbiomes and are expressed both in vitro and in vivo Further, a greater abundance of BIS genes is present within healthy gut microbiomes than in those humans with with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our discovery provides a potentially distinct means by which our microbiome interacts with the human host or its microbiome.

Crecimiento físico de niños con hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita perdedora de sal durante los dos primeros años de vida en el Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño / Physical growth in children with salt-wasting adrenal hyperplasia during their first two years of life in the Peruvian National Children's Health Institute

Objetivo: Describir el crecimiento físico de niños con hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita (HSC) perdedora de sal durante los dos primeros años de vida, evaluados en el Servicio de Endocrinología del Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño (INSN), Lima-Perú. Materiales y métodos: Es un estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo. Se incluyeron 55 niños con HSC que tuvieron seguimiento en el Servicio de Endocrinología del INSN del 2000 al 2016; se recopilaron datos como peso y talla al nacer y cada 6 meses, edad al diagnóstico, dosis de hidrocortisona y fludrocortisona y velocidad de crecimiento. Resultados: Se analizaron 55 niños con HSC perdedora de sal siendo el diagnóstico más precoz en mujeres (mediana: 21 días) que en varones (mediana: 52 días). Al nacimiento, su longitud promedio fue 0,07 + 0,75 DE; a los 6 meses fue -1,67 + 1,33 DE con mayor compromiso en varones (-2,29 + 1,18 DE; p=0,022); a los 12 meses fue -1,84 + 1,27 DE, con recuperación a los 24 meses (-1,51 + 1,10 DE). La velocidad de crecimiento fue -1,03 + 1,62 DE y -0,89 + 1,06 DE en el en el primer y segundo año, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Los niños con HSC perdedora de sal que tuvieron seguimiento en el INSN, tuvieron menor longitud a los 6 y 12 meses de edad y lograron recuperarse a los 24 meses.

Objective: To describe physical growth features in children with salt-wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) during their first two years of life, in the Endocrinology Service of the Peruvian National Children's Health Institute (CHI) in Lima, Peru. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, and descriptive study. Fifty-five children with CAH underwent follow-up in the Endocrinology Service of the CHI from 2000 to 2016; data such as body weight and height were collected at birth time and every six months, as well as age at diagnosis, hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone doses, and growth velocity. Results: Fifty-five children with salt-wasting CAH were assessed, the diagnosis was more promptly made in females (median: 21 days) compared to males (median: 52 days). At birth, their average length was 0.07 ± 0.75 SD; at 6 months it was -1.67 ± 1.33 SD, and male subjects were more affected (-2.29 ± 1.18 SD; p= 0.022); at 12 months, this parameter was -1.84 ± 1.27 SD, and recovery was observed at 24 months (-1.51 ± 1.10 SD). Growth velocity values were -1.03 ± 1.62 SD and -0.89 ± 1.06 SD in the first and second years of life, respectively. Conclusions: Children with salt-wasting CAH who were followed-up at CHI had shorter length at 6- and 12- months of age, and their recovered at 24-monbths.

Individual specialization in a migratory grazer reflects long-term diet selectivity on a foraging ground: implications for isotope-based tracking.

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) can be a useful tool for tracking the long-distance movements of migratory taxa. However, local-scale sources of isotopic variation, such as differences in habitat use or foraging patterns, may complicate these efforts. Few studies have evaluated the implications of local-scale foraging specializations for broad-scale isotope-based tracking. Here, we use > 300 h of animal-borne video footage from green turtles (Chelonia mydas) paired with SIA of multiple tissues, as well as fine-scale Fastloc-GPS satellite tracking, to show that dietary specialization at a single foraging location (Shark Bay, Western Australia) drives a high level of among-individual δ13C variability (δ13C range = 13.2‰). Green turtles in Shark Bay were highly omnivorous and fed selectively, with individuals specializing on different mixtures of seagrasses, macroalgae and invertebrates. Furthermore, green turtle skin δ13C and δ15N dispersion within this feeding area (total isotopic niche area = 41.6) was comparable to that from a well-studied rookery at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, where isotopic dispersion (total isotopic niche area = 44.9) is known to result from large-scale (> 1500 km) differences in foraging site selection. Thus, we provide an important reminder that two different behavioral dynamics, operating at very different spatial scales, can produce similar levels of isotopic variability. We urge an added degree of caution when interpreting isotope data for migratory species with complex foraging strategies. For green turtles specifically, a greater appreciation of trophic complexity is needed to better understand functional roles, resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and to improve management strategies.

Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg levels in umbilical cord blood in preeclampsia.

INTRODUCTION: Preeclampsia is one of the major causes of maternal and neonatal mortality. During pregnancy, the immune system must maintain the tolerance to the fetus, thus changes in the cytokine balance may result in a disturbed pregnancy. T helper cells play an important role in modulation of the immune system and are involved in this cytokine balance. OBJECTIVE: Many studies have been performed to study the T cell composition in different compartments during pregnancy, although this is the first study in which T cells are evaluated in umbilical cord blood. STUDY DESIGN: Intracellular expression of INF-gamma, IL-17, IL-4 and forkhead foxP3 in CD4+ T cells was evaluated in umbilical blood from healthy pregnant and preeclamptic women using a flow cytometer. RESULTS: Th2 and Treg cells levels were significantly diminished in preeclamptic compared to the healthy women, but no difference in Th1 and Th17 levels were found between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the cytokine balance is broken, encouraging the development of an exacerbated inflammatory response. Our results show that there is a shift, in the Th1/Th2, and the Th17/Treg balance, favoring skewness towards a proinflammatory status in the umbilical cord blood in preeclampsia.

Neurocysticercosis: local and systemic immune-inflammatory features related to severity.

Neurocysticercosis (NC) is caused by the establishment of Taenia solium cysticerci in the central nervous system. Previous studies have established that neuroinflammation plays a key role in the severity of the disease. However, the relationship between peripheral and local immune response remains inconclusive. This work studies the peripheral and local immune-inflammatory features and their relationships, toward the identification of potential peripheral immunologic features related to severity. A panel of cytokines was measured in paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in the supernatant of antigen-specific stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells samples (SN) in a total of 31 untreated inflammatory and non-inflammatory NC patients. Increased clinical and radiologic severity was associated with an increased cerebrospinal fluid cell count. A peripheral proliferative depression that negatively correlates with CSF cellularity and TNFα and that positively correlates with SN IL5 was observed in severe NC patients. These results provide evidences to support the systemic proliferative response as a biomarker to monitor the level of neuroinflammation, of possible value in the patients' follow-up during treatment.

Características clínicas y hormonales del síndrome de insensibilidad a andrógenos / Clínical and hormonal characteristics of androgen insensitivity syndrome

Objetivo: Estudiar las características clínicas y hormonales de pacientes portadores del síndrome de insensibilidad a andrógenos. Material y Métodos: Se han estudiado 20 casos de pacientes portadores del síndrome de insensibilidad a andrógenos atendidos en el servicio de Endocrinología del Instituto Especializado de Salud del Niño. Se aplicó los criterios de Quigley para evaluar el grado de ambigüedad sexual.Resultados: Se encontró 10/18 (55,55%) de casos de grado III, 4/18 (22,22%) de grado IV, 2/18 (11,11%) de grado V, 1/18 (5,55%) de grado VI y 1/18 (5,55%) de grado VII, estos dos últimos grados corresponden al fenotipo femenino (SIA completo). En los pacientes con formas de SIA incompleto se encontró relación T/DHT >17, lo que equivale a discreta falla en la 5α-reductasa, lo que no sucedió con los pacientes con SIA completo. Conclusiones: El síndrome de insensibilidad a andrógenos por mostrar diversos grados de ambigüedad sexual amerita estudios genéticos, hormonales, diagnóstico por imágenes y exploración quirúrgica que permitan una orientación en la determinación del género.

Objective: Assessment of the clinical and hormonal characteristics of patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS). Materials and methods: 20 cases of AIS were studied in the Endocrinology Unit of the Instituto Especializado del Salud del Niño (Institute of Child Health - Lima, Perú). Quigley criteria was used to assess ambiguous genitalia. Results: According this criteria the findings were the following: 10/18 (55,55%) of cases were stage III, 4/18 (22,22%) were stage IV, 2/18 (11,11%) were stage V, 1/18 (5,55%) were stage VI and 1/18 (5,55%) were stage VII. The last two stages had female phenotype (complete AIS). In patients with incomplete AIS the ratio testosterone/dihydrotestosterone was less than 17, showing a mild failure of 5α-reductasa. This finding was not present in the cases with complete AIS. Conclusions: Due to the different degrees of ambiguous genitalia, the patients with AIS need genetic, hormone, images studies and surgical exploration to have the necessary criteria to suggest the most adequate therapy for each case.