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Copyright of Revista Argentina de Terapia Intensiva is the property of Sociedad Argentina de Terapia Intensiva (SATI) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The population of the American countries is genetically heterogeneous, whose genesis result from of recent admixture events. In this process, the transoceanic European component displaced the original inhabitants of the continent. Aim: To investigate whether socially differentiated cohorts exhibit underlying ancestry components within an urban admixed population, two cohorts of individuals inhabiting Argentina were studied. One cohort included genetically unrelated individuals involved in voluntary paternity testing while the other included sexual or blood‐crime suspects. Materials & Methods: We analyzed over 2500 unrelated individuals: four Native American maternal lineage mtDNA markers in 1024 samples, five Y chromosome haplogroups in 658 male samples, 24 autosomal ancestry informative markers (AIMs) in 205 samples, and 15 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) in 1557 samples; countrywide and divided by regions. Results: While our results confirm a tricontinental ethnic contribution to both cohorts, their proportions showed statistically significant differences, with a higher proportion of Native American ancestry in the cohort linked to violent crimes compared to those in paternity testing. This hallmark was observed with all the marker sets used and at various levels of analysis. Discussion: Since paternity tests are costly, socio‐economic differences might help to interpret our observations. The effect of discrimination against descendants of Native American minorities, and exposure to violent social environments, might link marginal groups to criminality. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the relevance of proper social management since only by improving living conditions, reducing discrimination, promoting education, and providing job opportunities will it be possible to attain equality in a heterogeneous society. Genetic markers proved to be highly informative in unveiling unexpected social differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a global trend toward intensive livestock breeding, which tends to increase the microbial load in the environment as well as the presence of volatile compounds and dust that can cause health issues. Cattle is the major producer of Escherichiacoli (E. coli), a group of foodborne bacteria associated with severe human diseases, and Neuquén province in Argentina has one of the highest rates of uremic hemolytic syndrome incidence in the world. This paper presents the results of two sampling events of E. coli bacteria at 39 sites in La Paisana ranch (LPR), in Añelo (Neuquén), considering locations inside the pens, upwind, and downwind of the feedlot with different time steps, using a Microflow α equipment. The ranch has approximately 600 heads and clean and controlled installations. The field experiment included sampling airborne aerosol deposition and concentration using passive and active methods. Concentrations were also estimated using an atmospheric dispersion model. During the field experiment, counts of up to 2970 CFU/m3 were obtained in the cattle stockyards and up to 111 CFU/m3 at a distance of 100 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to determine their ancestry diagnostic potential, we selected two sets of nuclear deletion/insertion polymorphisms (DIPs), including 30 located on autosomal chromosomes and 33 on the X chromosome. We analysed over 200 unrelated Argentinean individuals living in urban areas of Argentina. As in most American countries, the extant Argentinean population is the result of tricontinental genetic admixture. The peopling process within the continent was characterised by mating bias involving Native American and enslaved African females and European males. Differential results were detected between autosomal DIPs and X-DIPs. The former showed that the European component was the largest (77.8%), followed by the Native American (17.9%) and African (4.2%) components, in good agreement with the previously published results. In contrast, X-DIPs showed that the European genetic contribution was also predominant but much smaller (52.9%) and considerably larger Native American and African contributions (39.6% and 7.5%, respectively). Genetic analysis revealed continental genetic contributions whose associated phenotypic traits have been mostly lost. The observed differences between the estimated continental genetic contribution proportions based on autosomal DIPs and X-DIPs reflect the effects of autosome and X-chromosome transmission behaviour and their different recombination patterns. This work shows the ability of the tested DIP panels to infer ancestry and confirm mating bias. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on ancestry-informative autosomal DIP and X-DIP comparisons performed in a sample representing the entire Argentinean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite strong support from the media, the reintroduction of animals into natural environments does not always achieve its goal. Alouatta caraya is the primate species facing the greatest hunting pressure due to the illegal pet trade in Argentina. Confiscations of this species are common, as is the voluntary surrender of animals by owners no longer able or willing to care for them. These animals ultimately arrive at rehabilitation centers and, in many cases, are released into natural environments that may differ from the original sites where they were captured. Until recently, the lack of genetic analysis of the individuals involved led to biased relocation decisions. We followed the reintroduction of 12 A. caraya individuals in a protected area (Isla Palacio, Misiones, Argentina). The presence of potential predators such as pumas (Puma concolor) and jaguars (Panthera onca) in this area was confirmed by camera traps, footprints and feces. After the disappearance of four A. caraya at the reintroduction site, we investigated the applicability of genetic assignment tests based on genotypic data to accurately identify predated individuals. Genetic analyses allowed us to determine the predator species (P. onca) and to identify the predated individuals as two of the reintroduced animals. This procedure is promising for identifying the remains of predated individuals, and can contribute to the design of reintroduction policies based on scientific evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is a neotropical primate threatened by habitat loss and capture for illegal trade in Argentina. Using multilocus microsatellite genotypes from 178 A. caraya individuals sampled from 15 localities in Argentina, we built a genotype reference database (GRDB). Bayesian assignment methods applied to the GRDB allowed us to correctly re-assign 73% of individuals to their true location of origin and 93.3% to their cluster of origin. We used the GRDB to assign 22 confiscated individuals (17 of which were reintroduced), and 3 corpses to both localities and clusters of origin. We assigned with a probability >70% the locality of origin of 14 individuals and the cluster of origin of 21. We found that most of the confiscated individuals were assigned to one cluster (F-Ch-C) and two localities included in the GRDB, suggesting that trafficked A. caraya primarily originated in this area. Our results reveal that only 4 of 17 reintroduced individuals were released in sites corresponding to their cluster of origin. Our findings illustrate the applicability of genotype databases for inferring hotspots of illegal capture and for guiding future reintroduction efforts, both of which are essential elements of species protection and recovery programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Y chromosome behaves as a single locus. Its genetic information is useful in forensic casework, deficiency kinship testing, and population genetics studies. Continuous increases of loci number within commercial kits forced modification of worldwide reference databases. In Pan American countries, like Argentina, diverse parental ethnic groups contributed to the extant admixed urban populations. We report 509 additional haplotypes of 23 Y-STRs from donors inhabiting urban areas of six Argentinean provinces: Buenos Aires, Santiago del Estero, Santa Cruz, Rio Negro, Santa Fe, and Formosa. To better understand the demographic landscape of the admixed urban paternal lineages, structural analysis was performed using published data from other Argentinean provinces. AMOVA by Rst distance and inferred haplogroups by two predictive online software methods based on haplotypes yielded complementary results with respect to detected population structure, probably due to the different proportions of the Native American Q3-M3 haplogroup in the studied samples. This situation, which is common to most North, Meso, and South American countries, underscores the need for the additional step of typing specific SNPs for haplogroup diagnosis. We propose organizing Y-STR haplotype reference databases according to the most frequent haplogroups detected in a given admixed population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphic genetic markers located on the X chromosome might become a complement in particular forensic identification when the biological kinship are deficient. We analyzed forensic statistical parameters of 33 X-chromosome InDel polymorphisms in a sample of 320 individuals from Argentina. The X-chromosome InDel polymorphism (X-InDel) panel was amplified in a single multiplex PCR reaction. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium was determined in the female cohort, whereas the male cohort was used to calculate linkage disequilibrium (LD) tested by an extension of Fisher's exact test, D', and Chi-square values. Regarding LD, 15 markers were organized and grouped into six blocks containing two or three linked loci each, namely block I (MID356-MID357), block II (MID448804-MID3703-MID218), block III (MID3705-MID3706-MID304737), block IV (MID197147-MID3754), block V (MID3664-MID284601-MID103547), and block VI (MID3763-MID3728). The haplotype diversity was higher than 0.99 in all cases. Blocks III and VI showed the highest match probability in the studied population, whereas block II showed the lowest. The accumulated power of discrimination was 99.9999991 % in women and 99.9992925 % in men. The mean exclusion chance in trios and duos were 99.9891736 and 99.6099391 %, respectively. Since 15 markers are associated as haplotypic blocks, for a conservative treatment of the data, statistical evaluation should consider their haplotypic frequencies and the remaining 18 markers can be evaluated as independent loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We typed 1541 Y-STR haplotypes from reference samples along forensic casework investigations. In three haplotypes, we detected a variant allele designed as 16.3 at locus DYS533. This was confirmed by amplification using two commercial kits. Sanger sequencing revealing a novel motif corresponding to [TATC] 12 repeats with a 19-bp insertion in the flanking upstream region. We propose its origin as an insertion at − 9.1 upstream of the repeat motifs. We searched other local databases and found this allele in various geographical areas of Argentina and neighbouring countries. The haplotypes share a common core of 10 Y-STRs (DYS389-I/13; DYS389-II/30; DYS19/14; DYS481/22; DYS438/12; DYS437/16; DYS635/23; DYS392/13; DYS393/13; GATA H4/11) and belong to the R1b haplogroup. This 16.3 allele is restricted to southern South America, which allows us to propose a local and relatively recent origin. The sequence described herein constitutes a novelty that could be considered in future criteria for the nomenclature of STRs based on massively parallel sequencing. • Novel sequence structure at locus DYS533. • Upstream insertion explains a new variant allele DYS533/16.3. • New variant allele associated to south american Y haplotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Genetic data have complemented archaeological and linguistic investigations for understanding the peopling of the Americas. Aiming to investigate the Native South American genetic background in Argentina, seven Amerindian and one urban population were selected. The analysis focused on locus D9S1120 due to its potential anthropological information about Native American origins. Methods The sample set included 603 individuals belonging to nine isolated Argentinean aboriginal communities from seven tribes ( N = 296), 100 individuals living in Buenos Aires city, and three potentially parental population references samples ( N = 207). We computed allele and genotype frequency distributions, genetic distances, and pairwise differences among and within them. Admixture proportion was determined by means of typing 13 autosomal short tandem repeats plus D9S1120 in all populations, and comparing the data with those from three parental groups including Native American, European and Sub Saharan West African. Results The Native American-specific allele 9RA was found at an average frequency of 0.26 in aboriginal groups. Statistically significant differences were observed among the Native American groups when compared with the Buenos Aires urban population using analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) ( Fst = 0.05669; P < 0.0001). Admixture analysis denoted different results between the cohorts of Amerindian samples displaying the specific 9RA allele, compared with those lacking it. A linear correlation was established between positive 9RA and Native American ancestry. Conclusions Autosomal-based genetic admixture showed that the studied communities have considerable European and Native America contributions. Our results concerning D9S1120 further contribute to a better understanding of the admixture process between Sub Saharan African, Native American, and European individuals that shaped the genetic background of Argentinean extant population. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:57-66, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A description of the results for a Station Black-Out analysis for Atucha 2 Nuclear Power Plant is presented here. Calculations were performed with MELCOR 1.8.6 YV3165 Code. Atucha 2 is a pressurized heavy water reactor, cooled and moderated with heavy water, by two separate systems, presently under final construction in Argentina. The initiating event is loss of power, accompanied by the failure of four out of four diesel generators. All remaining plant safety systems are supposed to be available. It is assumed that during the Station Black-Out sequence the first pressurizer safety valve fails stuck open after 3 cycles of water release, respectively, 17 cycles in total. During the transient, the water in the fuel channels evaporates first while the moderator tank is still partially full. The moderator tank inventory acts as a temporary heat sink for the decay heat, which is evacuated through conduction and radiation heat transfer, delaying core degradation. This feature, together with the large volume of the steel filler pieces in the lower plenum and a high primary system volume to thermal power ratio, derives in a very slow transient in which RPV failure time is four to five times larger than that of other German PWRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the mutation rates of autosomal STRs in paternity tests including trios or duos, in our laboratory, along a period of ten years. We analyzed 5986 parent-child meiosis including 24 autosomal STRs, corresponded into the expanded CODIS core of 20 STRs plus loci Penta D, Penta E, SE33 and D6S1043. We detected mutations in 21/24 loci in 132 meiotic segregations events: 94 were paternal mutations, 19 maternal and 19 undetermined. The proportion of paternal vs maternal mutations was 4.9:1. Simple STRs accounted 61/132 of overall mutations, 58/132 to compound and 13/132 to complex STRs. Highest mutation rates were observed at loci CSF1PO, D12S391, D16S539, D18S51, D21S11, D3S1358, D8S1179, FGA, D13S317 and SE33 accumulating 75% of the total observed mutations. Lowest mutation rate was observed in THO-1 and TPOX (average mutation rate 1.7E-04). This work is the first attempt to generate a local database of autosomal STRs mutations for the population of Argentina to be used in forensic genetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Allele frequency data of genetic markers employed in paternity testing and forensic casework is essential for the statistical analysis of the results obtained by these molecular markers. In 2004, our group developed and launched a free on-line reference database including autosomal STRs allele and Y-STR haplotype frequencies for 10 Argentinean provinces (http://www.ffyb.uba.ar/marcadores/antecedentes.asp). The dataset included 2710 individuals typed by means of 13 autosomal STRs and 239 individuals with the minimal Y-STRs haplotype (YHRD). In order to further improve the available information on-line, the database was increased for both autosomal and Y-STR markers. A total of 6501 genotypes from unrelated donors were added to the previous database. These samples were obtained from Buenos Aires, Chubut, Rio Negro, Santa Fe, Mendoza, Misiones, Corrientes, Chaco, Formosa and Salta, and typed at least with 13 autosomal STRs and 1336 unrelated males were also typed for Y-STRs. In parallel, protocols for DNA analysis and reference bibliography were updated. The present update attained a total of 9211 genotypes and 1575 Y-chromosome haplotypes from the Argentinean population. This contribution offers on-line statistical information about highly standardized genetic markers to the forensic and molecular anthropology research communities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Santa Cruz is the southernmost Patagonian province of Argentina. Its demographic history is complex and changing over time. Aiming to investigate the overall genetic features of this province a set of markers routinely used in forensic casework were analyzed. The study involved 645 from Santa Cruz ( N = 145), Chubut ( N = 102), Rio Negro ( N = 99), Buenos Aires ( N = 93) and potentially parental population samples from CEPH panel ( N = 206). We analyzed 15 autosomal STRs, 23 Y-STRs and 6 Y-SNPs. Autosomal STRs displayed statistically significant genetic distances between Santa Cruz and Chubut, Rio Negro and Buenos Aires populations. Native American Y-specific haplogroup Q1a3a was present in around 15% of the Santa Cruz males and the haplogroup R1b was the most frequent European hg (45%). Structure analysis demonstrated that three ancestral contributors that build to Santa Cruz gene pool were European (50%), Native American (36%) and African (13%). Genetic characterization of this population allowed to further increase genetic knowledge of the country, where previous studies have identified regional differences associated with the complex demographic process that took place in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Y-STR markers, namely YHRD minimal haplotype with additional DYS437, DYS438, and DYS439 markers, were investigated in a set of 236 samples of individuals belonging to Mataco–Guaycurú speaking tribes, inhabiting communities in Northern and Central Argentina. One specific Amerindian Y-SNP was also typed in order to identify Native Y chromosomal haplotypes. Our results show that 86% of the samples belong to haplogroup Q-M3 and 67% of the haplotypes were unique and never found before in the YHRD database. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]