Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequent lymphoproliferative disease in the elderly of the western world. Immune defective responses and treatment can worsen the immune system's competence of CLL patients. Consequently, they may present a higher incidence of recurrent severe infections, second malignancies, and reduced efficacy of vaccines. The outbreak of COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic, and patients with comorbidities experience more severe forms of the disease. Hematological malignancies are associated with higher case fatality rates (CFRs) than other cancers. Knowledge about COVID-19 incidence, clinical course, and immune response to the infection and vaccination in CLL may contribute to design strategies that improve the outcomes of patients in the future. RECENT FINDINGS: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in CLL is not significantly higher than seen in the general population. CFRs for CLL patients are 16.5-fold more elevated than the median reported worldwide and even higher in older patients, those who require hospitalization have significant comorbidities or need oxygen therapy. CLL status decreases the anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity after infection or vaccination by around 40%, and the spike-specific antibody titers are 74-fold lower than healthy age-matched controls. The response rate to COVID-19 vaccines is even worse in patients with active CLL-directed therapies like BTKi, BCL-2 antagonists, or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. CLL patients are at a greater risk of death from COVID-19. Inherent immunosuppression of CLL and immune deficiencies caused by treatment significantly decrease the ability to produce natural or vaccine-induced anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses.

Anastomosis Martin-Gruber: Aspectos anatómicos y electrofisiológicos / Martin-Gruber Anastomosis: Anatomical and electrophysiological issues

La anastomosis de Martin Gruber (AMG) es una de las variaciones anatómicas más frecuentes que consiste en la contribución de axones motores desde el nervio mediano hacia el ulnar en el antebrazo. Factores filogenéticos y genéticos se asocian con la aparición de la AMG. Entre tanto, otros factores como género, raza o lateralidad no parecen tener importancia en la aparición de la rama comunicante. Las clasificaciones de la AMG han sido establecidas según los hallazgos anatómicos, electrofisiológicos e histológicos y también según el lugar de origen y destino de la anastomosis. El objetivo de este artículo es revisar los factores asociados a la presencia de la AMG, así como las descripciones y clasificaciones anatómicas y electrofisiológicas. Esta revisión aporta información relevante para el reconocimiento de los patrones clásico y variante de inervación de la musculatura intrínseca de la mano. Dicho reconocimiento permite diagnosticar e intervenir apropiadamente las alteraciones de los nervios periféricos de la extremidad superior.

The Martin Gruber Anastomosis (MGA) is one of the most common anatomical variants of the upper limb, which consists of motor axons crossing through the forearm from the median nerve to the ulnar nerve. Phylogenetic and hereditary factors have been associated whit the MGA. However, gender, race, or laterality, do not seem to have importance in the appearance of the communicating branch. The MGA has been categorized according to findings in anatomy, electrophysiology and histology, in relation to the source and destination of the communicating branch. The aim of this article is to review the factors related to the presence of MGA, as well as the descriptions and classifications according to anatomy and electrophysiology. This revision contributes with important information relevant to the recognition of differences between the classic pattern and the variant pattern of the innervations of the intrinsic muscles of the hand. Such recognition allows a more appropriate diagnostic and intervention of disorders of the peripheral nerves in the upper limb.

Genetic characterization of fast-growing rhizobia able to nodulate Prosopis alba in North Spain.

Prosopis is a Mimosaceae legume tree indigenous to South America and not naturalized in Europe. In this work 18 rhizobial strains nodulating Prosopis alba roots were isolated from a soil in North Spain that belong to eight different randomly amplified polymorphic DNA groups phylogenetically related to Sinorhizobium medicae, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium giardinii according to their intergenic spacer and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The nodC genes of isolates close to S. medicae and S. meliloti were identical to those of S. medicae USDA 1,037(T) and S. meliloti LMG 6,133(T) and accordingly all these strains were able to nodulate both alfalfa and Prosopis. These nodC genes were phylogenetically divergent from those of the isolates close to R. giardinii that were identical to that of R. giardinii H152(T) and therefore all these strains formed nodules in common beans and Prosopis. The nodC genes of the strains isolated in Spain were phylogenetically divergent from that carried by Mesorhizobium chacoense Pr-5(T) and Sinorhizobium arboris LMG 1,4919(T) nodulating Prosopis in America and Africa, respectively. Therefore, Prosopis is a promiscuous host which can establish symbiosis with strains carrying very divergent nodC genes and this promiscuity may be an important advantage for this legume tree to be used in reforestation.

Pseudomonas argentinensis sp. nov., a novel yellow pigment-producing bacterial species, isolated from rhizospheric soil in Cordoba, Argentina.

During a study in the Argentinian region of Chaco (Cordoba), some strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of grasses growing in semi-desertic arid soils. Two of these strains, one isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Chloris ciliata (strain CH01(T)) and the other from Pappophorum caespitosum (strain PA01), were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic rods, which formed yellow round colonies on nutrient agar. They produced a water-insoluble yellow pigment, and a fluorescent pigment was also detected. A polyphasic taxonomic approach was used to characterize the strains. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed a similarity of 99.3 % between them, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the strains belong to the genus Pseudomonas, within the gamma-subclass of the Proteobacteria. The closest related species is Pseudomonas straminea IAM 1598(T) (similarity of 99.0 % to strain CH01(T) and 98.8 % to strain PA01), clustering in a separate branch with the various methods of tree building used. Strains CH01(T) and PA01 both had a single polar flagellum, like other yellow pigment-producing pseudomonads related to them. Both strains produced catalase and oxidase. Similar to P. straminea, they did not hydrolyse gelatin or casein. The G+C DNA contents determined were 57.5 mol% for CH01(T) and 58.0 mol% for PA01. DNA-DNA hybridization results showed 81 % relatedness between them, and only 40-44 % relatedness with respect to the type strain of P. straminea. These results, together with other phenotypic characteristics, support the conclusion that both isolates belong to the same species, and should be described as representing a novel species within the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas argentinensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CH01(T) (=LMG 22563(T) = CECT 7010(T)).

Paenibacillus rhizosphaerae sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of Cicer arietinum.

Two sporulating bacterial strains designated CECAP06(T) and CECAP16 were isolated from the rhizosphere of the legume Cicer arietinum in Argentina. Almost-complete 16S rRNA gene sequences identified the isolates as a Paenibacillus species. It was most closely related to Paenibacillus cineris LMG 18439(T) (99.6 % sequence similarity), Paenibacillus favisporus LMG 20987(T) (99.4 % sequence similarity) and Paenibacillus azoreducens DSM 13822(T) (97.7 % sequence similarity). The cells of this novel species were motile, sporulating, rod-shaped, Gram-positive and strictly aerobic. The predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0), C(16 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0). The DNA G+C content of strains CECAP06(T) and CECAP16 was 51.3 and 50.9 mol%, respectively. Growth was observed from many carbohydrates, but gas production was not observed from glucose. Catalase and oxidase activities were present. The isolates produced beta-galactosidase and hydrolysed aesculin. Gelatinase, caseinase and urease were not produced. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the strains from this study constitute a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus rhizosphaerae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CECAP06(T) (=LMG 21955(T) = CECT 5831(T)).

Nodulation of Lupinus albus by strains of Ochrobactrum lupini sp. nov.

The nodulation of legumes has for more than a century been considered an exclusive capacity of a group of microorganisms commonly known as rhizobia and belonging to the alpha-Proteobacteria. However, in the last 3 years four nonrhizobial species, belonging to alpha and beta subclasses of the Proteobacteria, have been described as legume-nodulating bacteria. In the present study, two fast-growing strains, LUP21 and LUP23, were isolated from nodules of Lupinus honoratus. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S and 23S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates belong to the genus Ochrobactrum. The strains were able to reinfect Lupinus plants. A plasmid profile analysis showed the presence of three plasmids. The nodD and nifH genes were located on these plasmids, and their sequences were obtained. These sequences showed a close resemblance to the nodD and nifH genes of rhizobial species, suggesting that the nodD and nifH genes carried by strain LUP21T were acquired by horizontal gene transfer. A polyphasic study including phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and molecular features of the strains isolated in this study showed that they belong to a new species of the genus Ochrobactrum for which we propose the name Ochrobactrum lupini sp. nov. Strain LUP21T (LMG 20667T) is the type strain.

Sphingomonas phyllosphaerae sp. nov., from the phyllosphere of Acacia caven in Argentina.

Two bacterial strains (FA1 and FA2(T)) were isolated from the phyllosphere of a leguminous tree, Acacia caven, in central Argentina. The strains were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped, motile and formed yellow-pigmented colonies on nutrient agar. The two-primer RAPD patterns of the two strains were identical, suggesting that they belong to the same species. The complete 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two strains were obtained and comparisons demonstrated that they cluster phylogenetically with the species of the genus Sphingomonas sensu stricto. Strain FA2(T) was most closely related (97.6 %) to Sphingomonas adhaesiva. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to all other established Sphingomonas species ranged from 94.4 % (to Sphingomonas echinoides) to 97.6 % (to S. adhaesiva). Strains FA1 and FA2(T) were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Aesculin was hydrolysed, gelatin and urea were not. beta-Galactosidase was produced. From 51 compounds tested 21 were used as single sources of carbon. The major respiratory lipoquinone was ubiquinone-10. The predominant cellular fatty acids were 16 : 0, 18 : 1omega7c and 16 : 1omega7c (from summed feature 3). Hydroxy fatty acids 14 : 0 2-OH and 15 : 0 iso 2-OH were present as well (from summed feature 4). The polar lipids detected in strain FA2(T) were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, sphingoglycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content of strain FA2(T) was 61 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed 27.6 % relatedness between strain FA2(T) and S. adhaesiva DSM 7418(T). Based upon phenotypic and molecular evidence, a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas is proposed, Sphingomonas phyllosphaerae sp. nov., with strain FA2(T) (=LMG 21958(T)=CECT 5832(T)) as the type strain.