Functional traits-not nativeness-shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities.

Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since prehistory. Introduced megafauna have partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to have unusually negative effects on plants compared with native megafauna. Using a meta-analysis of 3995 plot-scale plant abundance and diversity responses from 221 studies, we found no evidence that megafauna impacts were shaped by nativeness, "invasiveness," "feralness," coevolutionary history, or functional and phylogenetic novelty. Nor was there evidence that introduced megafauna facilitate introduced plants more than native megafauna. Instead, we found strong evidence that functional traits shaped megafauna impacts, with larger-bodied and bulk-feeding megafauna promoting plant diversity. Our work suggests that trait-based ecology provides better insight into interactions between megafauna and plants than do concepts of nativeness.

Same species, different population dynamics: Spatio-temporal differences of Undaria pinnatifida (Ochrophyta, Phaeophyceae) in the intertidal of North Patagonia, Argentina.

Population dynamics can be influenced by physical and biological factors, particularly in stressful environments. Introduced species usually have great physiological plasticity, resulting in populations with different traits. Undaria pinnatifida, a macroalga originally described from northeast Asia, was introduced in Northern Patagonia, Argentina (San Matías Gulf) around 2010. To describe the spatio-temporal variability in population structure and morphometry of U. pinnatifida, we conducted monthly field samplings for 2 years at the intertidal area of two contrasting sites in the San Matías Gulf. Individuals of U. pinnatifida were classified by developmental stage, and their morpho-gravimetric variables were measured. In both intertidal sites juveniles were found in higher proportion during austral autumn and grew and matured during the autumn-winter months (from May onwards), and individuals senesced during early austral summer (December and January). Conversely, density and biomass were largely different between sites, and individuals showed slight morphological variability between sites. Environmental (e.g., nutrient concentration, available substrate) and biological factors (e.g., facilitation, competition) may explain the observed differences. Since there is not a macroalga with U. pinnatifida morphometrical characteristics in the intertidal environments of San Matías Gulf, studying this recent introduction gives us a better understanding of its potential ecological effects.

Incorporating Monoclonal Antibodies into the First-Line Treatment of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma.

The long-term survival of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients treated according to the current standard of care is excellent. Combined-modality schedules (ABVD plus radiotherapy) in early-stage disease, along with treatment intensity adaptation to early metabolic response assessed by PET/CT in advanced stage HL, have been the cornerstones of risk stratification and treatment decision-making, minimizing treatment-related complications while keeping efficacy. Nevertheless, a non-negligible number of patients are primary refractory or relapse after front-line treatment. Novel immunotherapeutic agents, namely Brentuximab Vedotin (BV) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI), have already shown outstanding efficacy in a relapsed/refractory setting in recent landmark studies. Several phase 2 single-arm studies suggest that the addition of these agents in the frontline setting could further improve long-term disease control permitting one to reduce the exposure to cytotoxic drugs. However, a longer follow-up is needed. At the time of this writing, the only randomized phase 3 trial so far published is the ECHELON-1, which compares 1 to 1 BV-AVD (Bleomycin is replaced by BV) with standard ABVD in untreated advanced-stage III and IV HL. The ECHELON-1 trial has proven that BV-AVD is safe and more effective both in terms of long-term disease control and overall survival. Just recently, the results of the S1826 SWOG trial demonstrated that the combination nivolumab-AVD (N-AVD) is better than BV-AVD, while preliminary results of other randomized ongoing phase 3 trials incorporating anti-PD-1 in this setting will be soon available. The aim of this review is to present the recent data regarding these novel agents in first-line treatment of HL and to highlight current and future trends which will hopefully reshape the overall management of this disease.

Clinical characteristics and evolution of hematological patients and COVID-19 in Argentina: a report from the Argentine Society of Hematology.

Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in patients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina; it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.

El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo primario conocer la mortalidad de pacientes con enfermedad hematológica que presentaron infección por COVID-19 en Argentina. Para ello se difundió una encuesta desde la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología (SAH) entre los hematológos para informar sobre los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas y diagnóstico de infección por SARS- CoV-2, entre el 19/4/2020, y el 7/12/2020. Se incluyeron individuos de todas las edades con diagnóstico de enfermedad hematológica benigna o maligna e infección por SARS-CoV-2 confirmada por técnica de RTPCR. Se analizaron 419 pacientes (mediana 58 años; 90% enfermedades malignas). La supervivencia al día 30 fue de 80.2%. La supervivencia fue menor en aquellos que requirieron internación (74.2%), cuidados intensivos (46.6%) y asistencia respiratoria mecánica (36.8%). Entre los trasplantados alogénicos la supervivencia fue 70.3%. Los factores vinculados a la supervivencia global fueron las comorbilidades, el estado de la enfermedad al momento de la infección y el antecedente de quimioterapia. Se pudo establecer un score en el que aquellos que tuvieron un puntaje de 4 alcanzaron una supervivencia del 49.6% al día 30, mientras que la de los pacientes con score 0 fue del 100% a 30 días. En comparación con la población general, los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas presentan una mayor mortalidad vinculada al COVID-19, motivo por el cual es primordial definir pautas destinadas a disminuir la exposición de los mismos sin comprometer las posibilidades de beneficiarse del tratamiento de la enfermedad de base.

Clinical characteristics and evolution of hematological patients and COVID-19 in Argentina: a report from the Argentine Society of Hematology / Características clínicas y evolución de pacientes hematológicos y COVID-19 en Argentina: datos de la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología

Abstract Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in pa tients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina; it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.

Resumen El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo primario conocer la mortalidad de pacientes con enfermedad hematológica que presentaron infección por COVID-19 en Argentina. Para ello se difundió una encuesta desde la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología (SAH) entre los hematológos para informar sobre los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas y diagnóstico de infección por SARS- CoV-2, entre el 19/4/2020, y el 7/12/2020. Se incluyeron individuos de todas las edades con diagnóstico de enfermedad hematológica benigna o maligna e infección por SARS-CoV-2 confirmada por técnica de RT-PCR. Se analizaron 419 pacientes (mediana 58 años; 90% enfermedades malignas). La supervivencia al día 30 fue de 80.2%. La supervivencia fue menor en aquellos que requirieron internación (74.2%), cuidados intensivos (46.6%) y asistencia respiratoria mecánica (36.8%). Entre los trasplantados alogénicos la supervivencia fue 70.3%. Los factores vinculados a la supervivencia global fueron las comorbilidades, el estado de la enfermedad al momento de la infección y el antecedente de quimioterapia. Se pudo establecer un score en el que aquellos que tuvieron un puntaje de 4 alcanzaron una supervivencia del 49.6% al día 30, mientras que la de los pacientes con score 0 fue del 100% a 30 días. En comparación con la población general, los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas presentan una mayor mortalidad vinculada al COVID-19, motivo por el cual es primordial definir pautas destinadas a disminuir la exposición de los mismos sin comprometer las posibilidades de beneficiarse del tratamiento de la enfermedad de base.

First evidence of anthropogenic debris in nests of the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) from a small semi-desert Argentinean coastal ecosystem.

Here, we present the first findings of anthropogenic debris (AD) used as nest material by the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) on a small semi-desert coastal ecosystem in northern Argentine Patagonia. Anthropogenic debris was found in ca. 40% of the 259 active nests, with an average of 2.80 ± 2.60 items per nest (n = 126) with >1 item recorded in >50% of surveyed nests containing debris. The average weight of AD per nest was 4.58 ± 12.74 g; the heaviest debris item weighed 82.58 g. Fragmented plastics were more abundant than unbroken items. Plastic followed by paper dominated the fraction of AD, with flexible plastic items dominating at both sites (nests: 97%, adjacent beach: 82%). Mega-sized plastics (>10 cm in length) and white/clear debris prevailed at both gull nests and the adjacent beach; fisheries and recreational activities were identified as the main sources of AD.

Acute Toxicity of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] to the Golden Mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857).

In this study we test the sensitivity of three sizes of golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei), an introduced species in Argentina, to a 96-h exposure to [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]. We also analysed the relative sensitivity of L. fortunei compared to other freshwater bivalve equivalent sensitivity data. The ANOVA results showed that both factors, heavy metal and size, had significant effects (p = 0.0013 and p = 0.0091, respectively) on the mortality of the golden mussel. Tukey's test showed significant differences for [Formula: see text] treatment and the smallest size class (7 mm [Formula: see text]). The relative sensitivity analysis showed that [Formula: see text] values for the smallest size class of L. fortunei exposed to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were in the low range, with values of 11.40 mg/L and 12.65 mg/L, respectively. In the case of [Formula: see text] (1.66 mg/L), its [Formula: see text] was in the medium-low range of the freshwater bivalve sensitivity distribution.

Rethinking the native range concept.

A species is not native outside its native range, but native range is not precisely defined. The invasion literature contains wide discussion of the core concepts such as naturalization, invasiveness, and ecological impact, but the concept of native range has received so little attention that a formal definition does not exist. I considered, among other impediments to a formal definition of native range, the sometimes arbitrariness of the spatial and temporal limits assigned to native range. Broad questions that remain include whether invasion theory can be used to define the native range for species without non-native ranges.

Replanteamiento del Concepto de Distribución Nativa Resumen Una especie es no nativa fuera de su distribución nativa, pero este último concepto no está definido con precisión. La literatura sobre las especies invasoras contiene amplias discusiones sobre los conceptos centrales, como la naturalización, la invasividad y el impacto ecológico, pero el concepto de distribución nativa ha recibido tan poca atención que una definición formal no existe dentro de la literatura. Consideré, entre otros impedimentos para la obtención de una definición formal de distribución nativa, la arbitrariedad ocasional de los límites espaciales y temporales asignados a la distribución nativa. Las preguntas generales que permanecen sin respuesta incluyen si se puede utilizar la teoría de la invasión para definir la distribución nativa para las especies que no cuentan con distribuciones no nativas.

Toxicity of Neem's oil, a potential biocide against the invasive mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857).

The golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857) is one of the most distributed Nuisance Invasive Species (NIS) in South America, and a threat of great concern for the industry of the area. In this study, we carried out toxicity tests made with a Neem's oil solution with L. fortunei larvae and benthonic adults (7, 13 and 19 ± 1 mm). Tests with non-target species (Daphnia magna, Lactuca sativa and Cnesterodon decemmculatus) were also made with the aim to evaluate the potential toxicity of the Neem's solution in the environment. The LC(100) of Neem's solution obtained for larvae was 500 µl/L, a value much higher than the one obtained for D. magna and C. decemmaculatus. Thus, we recommend that it should not be used in open waters. However, since the adults were killed in 72 h and the larvae in 24 h, this product can be used in closed systems, in man-made facilities.