The research focuses on the Water Festival (Yarqa Aspiy), an ancient event in the Peruvian Andes, and which, as an Inca activity, survived the extirpation of idolatries by the Spanish colonization. ...The objective is to determine the importance of ancestral rituals in the communal work of this festival that, by merging with those of the Catholic religion, survives to this day. The participant-observation methodology in the Ccarhuaccoco community allowed us to investigate the details of this ancestral communal activity with its Andean rituals. It is concluded that this activity of Inca origin is in the process of extinction due to the growth of the Evangelical Church, which eradicates idolatry in its community practice. Additionally, thanks to religious tolerance, freedom of belief, and the necessary coexistence of water with the community, the festivity is maintained, although with variations in its ritual.
Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
strain Z&Z143, a metronidazole-resistant bacterium isolated from a blood culture from an Ecuadorian patient hospitalized in a medical institution in ...Quito, Ecuador. We describe a new variant of the
genes, which is associated with metronidazole resistance.
Time series of particulate nitrogen isotope delta (PN‐δ15N) and flux of trapped particles at 200 m were determined in the northwestern North Pacific subtropical gyre between 2010 and 2014 in order to ...examine temporal variations in mixed layer nitrate availability and downward particle export. Lower PN‐δ15N (<4‰) seen every winter corresponded to convective nitrate supply triggering phytoplankton blooms. Greater particle fluxes were associated with higher CaCO3 concentrations (mass fraction >50%), implying that new nitrogen supply stimulated predominantly coccolithophore growth and downward transport of coccoliths. Even in the stratified summer of 2011, a δ15N drop associated with a spike in particulate flux was found and was attributed to the uplift of nitrate‐rich deep waters due to a mesoscale cyclonic eddy passing the mooring station. Total nitrate input sustains 86–93% of annual new production in this region while nitrogen fixation accounts for the rest. Trapped particles also showed that the winter δ15N decrease appeared earlier in the 2011–2012 blooms than those in 2013–2014, coinciding with 8% higher CaCO3 concentrations and a 40% lower particulate organic carbon to inorganic carbon export ratio, R(POC:PIC). This reflected stronger convective mixing and hence larger nutrient supply in 2011–2012, caused by larger ocean heat loss related to winter monsoon intensity. Such interannual change of winter R(POC:PIC) can affect CO2 uptake rate in the northwestern North Pacific subtropical gyre where anthropogenic CO2 accumulates in subtropical mode waters.
Plain Language Summary
Nutrient availability limits primary productivity in the low‐ and middle‐latitude oceans. This constrains the export of sinking biogenic particles, which removes carbon from the atmosphere, the so‐called biological pump. We examined temporal variations in nitrogen availability and particle export in the northwestern North Pacific subtropical gyre, using sediment trap time series observations at 200 m depth between 2010 and 2014. We found that the nitrogen isotope ratio (15N/14N) of trapped particles varied according to the external input of “new” nitrogen. 86–93% of “new nitrogen” was nitrate supplied from subsurface waters. Reduced 15N/14N ratios of high particle fluxes every winter indicated that nitrate was mainly supplied via convective mixing, triggering phytoplankton blooms. Interestingly, the magnitude of convective nitrate supply varied from year to year, depending on winter monsoon intensity. This not only controls particle fluxes but also their composition. Stronger mixing in 2011–2012 than in 2013–2014 enhanced CaCO3 export and hence reduced the organic carbon to inorganic carbon export ratio, R(POC:PIC). Such interannual changes of winter R(POC:PIC) can affect air‐sea CO2 fluxes through modulating CO2 partial pressure in the northwestern North Pacific subtropical gyre.
Key Points
Changes in nitrogen availability in the western NPSG were revealed by delta nitrogen‐15 time series of settling particles at 200 m during 2010–2014
Reduced delta nitrogen‐15 every winter corresponded to convective nitrate supply that triggered algal blooms and enhanced downward CaCO3 transport
Stronger convective mixing in 2011–2012 than 2013–2014 enhanced particle flux with a reduced organic carbon to inorganic carbon export ratio
Introducción: La endocarditis infecciosa (EI) es una de las patologías infecciosas más letales, con un aumento en la incidencia en los últimos años. El objetivo del siguiente estudio es analizar la ...epidemiología de la EI en Ecuador.
Materiales y Métodos: El siguiente estudio es descriptivo, documental, observacional, de corte transversal; los datos fueron tomados de la base de datos del sitio web del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC). Se incluyó como causa de muerte y egreso hospitalario según la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades décima edición (CIE-10): I330 endocarditis infecciosa aguda y subaguda durante el período 2016-2020.
Resultados: Durante el periodo de estudio se registraron 77 muertes (tasa promedio de mortalidad fue de 0.91 muertes IC 95% 0.55 a 1.42 por 1,000,000 habitantes), mientras que se registraron 201 egresos hospitalarios (tasa promedio de egresos hospitalario fue de 2.36 egresos IC 95% 1.69 a 3.21 por 1,000,000 habitantes) atribuidos a endocarditis infecciosa. El sexo masculino presentó mayor número de defunciones y egresos hospitalarios con 74.03% y 66.27%,respectivamente. La provincia de Pichincha, ubicada en la región Sierra, presentó mayor número de muertes, mientras que Guayas, ubicada en la región Costa, fue la provincia que mayor número de egresos hospitalarios presentó.
Conclusiones: En Ecuador, el mayor número de defunciones se presentó en la región Sierra, mientras que, el mayor número de egresos hospitalarios se presentó en la región Costa.
The vertically generalized production model (VGPM), which was designed for open ocean waters (
Behrenfeld and Falkowski, 1997a; henceforth BF), was evaluated using
in situ measurements of primary ...productivity (PP) in the characteristically turbid coastal waters of Ariake Bay, southwestern Japan, to develop a regionally modified version of the model. The euphotic depth (
Z
eu
)-integrated PP (IPP) calculated from the VGPM using
in situ chlorophyll
a (Chl
a) and sea surface temperature (SST) was significantly overestimated (by factors of 2–3), but 52% of the observed variability was explained. The weak correlation could have partially resulted from overestimations by the sub-models embedded in the original VGPM model for estimation of
Z
eu
(
Morel and Berthon, 1989; henceforth MB) and the optimal Chl
a-normalized PP (
p
opt
B
). The sub-model estimates of
p
opt
B
and
Z
eu
with
in situ
p
opt
B
and
Z
eu
showed significant improvement, accounting for 84% of the variability and causing less overestimation.
Z
eu
was the most important parameter influencing the modeled IPP variation in Ariake Bay. Previous research suggested that the
Z
eu
model, which was based on surface Chl
a, overestimated
in situ Z
eu
by a factor of 2–3, resulting in weak correlation between the modeled and
in situ IPP. The
Z
eu
sub-model was not accurate in the present study area because it was basically developed for clear (case 1) waters. A better estimation of
Z
eu
could be obtained from the
in situ remote sensing reflectance (
R
rs
) using a quasi-analytical algorithm (QAA) in this turbid water ecosystem. Among the parameters of PP models,
p
opt
B
is conventionally considered the most important. However, in this study
p
opt
B
was of secondary importance because the contribution of
p
opt
B
to the variation in modeled IPP was less than the contribution of
Z
eu
. The modeled and
in situ
p
opt
B
were weakly correlated with 50% of the data points that overestimated the
in situ values. The estimation of Chl
a was improved by optimizing the Chl
a algorithm with
in situ R
rs
data. Incorporating the QAA-based
Z
eu
and the optimized Chl
a and constant (median)
p
opt
B
value led to improved performance of the VGPM for the study area. Thus, even though the VGPM is a global open ocean model, when coupled with turbid water algorithms for
Z
eu
and Chl
a and constant (median)
p
opt
B
, it provided realistic estimates of IPP in the turbid water ecosystem of Ariake Bay.
► The VGPM can be applicable in turbid waters of Ariake Bay but performed weakly. ► VGPM embedded sub-models for estimation of
Z
eu and
p
opt
B
showed low precision. ► The observed variability in VGPM-based PP was influenced most by the
Z
eu. ► Estimation of
Z
eu could be improved by using inherent optical properties of water. ► The VGPM coupled with turbid water algorithms for
Z
eu and Chl
a, and median
p
opt
B
performed better in Ariake Bay.
We report a case of catheter-related bloodstream infection by Tsukamurella inchonensis, identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, in a patient with arterial hypertension for 20 years and chronic ...kidney disease in hemodialysis since 08/07/2019. To our knowledge, this is the first case of T. inchonensis in Ecuador.
We study the incentives of competition authorities to prosecute collusive practices of domestic and foreign firms in a multimarket contact model between two firms operating in two countries. In ...equilibrium, the country of origin of the firms might prefer to delay prosecution to protect profits in foreign markets. This strategic delay is valuable because prosecution in the country of origin of the firms activates an information spillover that triggers prosecution in the foreign country. Prosecution delays, however, are suboptimal under global welfare. With multiple industries, both countries can be better off under integration or signing an international antitrust agreement.
•Escherichia coli (n=181) was the most frequent bacilli from bloodstream infections in each hospital.•31.5% (57/181) of the isolates were extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli ...(ESBL-Ec).•blaCTX-M-15 was the most common ESBL gene among ESBL-Ec.•B2-ST131 has emerged in ESBL-Ec bloodstream infections in Quito, Ecuador.
The purpose of this study was to describe the clonal relationships and phylogroups of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) isolated from patients with bacteraemia in three hospitals in Quito, Ecuador.
Between June 2013 and September 2014, a total of 4354 blood cultures were performed in three hospitals located in different areas of Quito. A BACTECTM system was used for blood culture, and the VITEK®2 system was used for species identification and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The ESBL genotype, presence of the blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV genes, and the phylogenetic group of E. coli isolates was determined by PCR. Clonal groups were established by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).
Of 929 blood cultures positive for Gram-negative bacilli, 181 (19.5%) were positive for E. coli, representing the most frequent bacteraemia isolates in each hospital. Of the 181 E. coli isolates, 57 (31.5%) were ESBL-Ec. The main sources of ESBL-Ec bacteraemia were urinary tract infection (40; 70.2%), biliary tract infection (10; 17.5%) and other infections (7; 12.3%). The majority of ESBL-Ec isolates (39; 68.4%) from the three hospitals belonged to the virulent phylogenetic group B2, of which 36/39 (92.3%) were ST131 and 33/36 (91.7%) carried the blaCTX-M-15 gene.
These results provide knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships of E. coli from bacteraemia in Ecuadorian patients. ST131 has emerged in ESBL-Ec, representing an important public-health problem because this multiresistant clone is considered to be a vehicle for the propagation of antimicrobial resistance genes and is a highly virulent, well-adapted human pathogen.
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