Physical condition and perceived fatigue in post-covid patients: An observational descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often require hospital admission and experience sequelae such as chronic fatigue or low muscle mass. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the functional capacity of a cohort of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 who required hospitalization. DESIGN AND SETTING: An observational descriptive study was conducted on post-COVID-19 patients referred to the Rehabilitation Department of Gregorio Marañón Hospital (Madrid, SPAIN). METHODS: Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, body composition, and perception of fatigue and dyspnea were analyzed. Furthermore, the existing correlations between clinical variables and physical conditions were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-two patients who required hospital admission (80 ± 22.45 days) or intensive care unit (ICU) admission (58 ± 10.52 days) were analyzed. They presented with decreased strength, respiratory capacity, and moderate-to-severe perceived fatigue. Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between right-handgrip strength and days in the ICU, as well as the 6-minute walk test for women. Similarly, strength and fitness were negatively associated with perceived fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Post-COVID-19 patients showed low muscle function and low levels of physical fitness associated with high perceived fatigue.

Physical condition and perceived fatigue in post-covid patients: An observational descriptive study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often require hospital admission and experience sequelae such as chronic fatigue or low muscle mass. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the functional capacity of a cohort of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 who required hospitalization. DESIGN AND SETTING: An observational descriptive study was conducted on post-COVID-19 patients referred to the Rehabilitation Department of Gregorio Marañón Hospital (Madrid, SPAIN). METHODS: Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, body composition, and perception of fatigue and dyspnea were analyzed. Furthermore, the existing correlations between clinical variables and physical conditions were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-two patients who required hospital admission (80 ± 22.45 days) or intensive care unit (ICU) admission (58 ± 10.52 days) were analyzed. They presented with decreased strength, respiratory capacity, and moderate-to-severe perceived fatigue. Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between right-handgrip strength and days in the ICU, as well as the 6-minute walk test for women. Similarly, strength and fitness were negatively associated with perceived fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Post-COVID-19 patients showed low muscle function and low levels of physical fitness associated with high perceived fatigue.

Nicotianarupicola sp. nov. and Nicotianaknightiana (sect.Paniculatae, Solanaceae), a new endemic and a new record for the flora of Chile.

Nicotianaknightiana is recorded for the first time for the flora of Chile. A new species of Nicotiana, endemic to the coast of the Coquimbo region is described and illustrated. Molecular analysis placed the new species within the N.sect.Paniculatae, as sister to N.cordifolia, an endemic to Juan Fernandez islands. The new species can be considered critically endangered (CR) according to the IUCN categories due to its restricted and fragmented distribution, small population number, and the threat that urbanization and mining activities represent for the conservation of the biodiversity of the area.

The Physiological Effect of a Holoparasite Over a Cactus Along an Environmental Gradient.

Echinopsis chiloensis is an endemic cactus from Chile, distributed in a temperature and rainfall gradient between 30° and 35° South latitude, with mean temperatures increasing and precipitation decreasing toward the north. It is the main host of the mistletoe Tristerix aphyllus, a holoparasite completely dependent on the cactus for water, carbon, and minerals. In this study, we investigated the consequences of parasitism over the fitness and physiology of this cactus throughout its distribution range and how it is affected by the environment. We measured five functional traits in eight populations latitudinally distributed, the first three only for the host: reproductive fitness, stomatal traits (density and size), and photosynthesis (during winter and summer); and the last two for the host and parasite: stable isotopes (∂13C and ∂15N), and nutrients (carbon and nitrogen content). The results showed a negative effect of parasitism over fitness of infected cacti. However, the higher nitrogen concentrations in cactus tissues toward the south improved overall fitness. Regarding photosynthesis, we only observed a negative effect of parasitism during the dry season (summer), which is also negatively affected by the increase in summer temperatures and decrease in winter rainfall toward the north. There were no differences in nutrient concentration or in the isotopic signature of healthy and infected cacti. Conversely, we observed a higher carbon and lower nitrogen concentration in mistletoes than in cacti regardless of latitude. The loss of temperature seasonality toward the north increases the C:N ratio, and the values between the parasite and its host diverge. ∂15N was similar between parasites and hosts while ∂13C of the parasite was enriched when compared to its host. Overall, the infection by T. aphyllus affects Echinopsis chiloensis fitness but showed no strong effects over the cactus physiology, except for the summer photosynthesis. Therefore, our data revealed that E. chiloensis response to T. aphyllus infection is sensitive to environmental changes in a way that could be strongly impacted by the desertification projected for this area due to climate change.

Calceolariaflavida (Calceolariaceae) a new endemic species to central Chile.

A new species of Calceolariasect.Cheiloncos endemic to central Chile is described. A comparison with the morphologically similar species Calceolariaasperula and Calceolariapetioalaris is made, and a key as well as detailed images to differentiate them is provided. The species is only known from the Natural Sanctuary Cerro El Roble, which is part of the coastal mountain range of central Chile and can be considered as Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN categories and criteria.

Self-Compatibility Not Associated with Morphological or Genetic Diversity Reduction in Oil-Rewarding Calceolaria Species.

One of the most common evolutionary transitions in angiosperms is the reproductive change from outcrossing to selfing, commonly associated with changes in floral biology and genetic diversity. Here, we aim to test whether self-compatibility leads to a reduction of floral traits and genetic diversity. For this, we experimentally estimate levels of self-compatibility, measure three floral traits and estimate four genetic diversity parameters using nine microsatellites in nine Calceolaria species. Our analysis indicated that four of the study species were self-incompatible. In addition, we found that self-compatible species did not show a reduction in floral traits size, but rather displayed larger corolla and elaiophore areas. Our analyses of genetic diversity identified larger allele number and observed heterozygosity in selfers than in outcrossers, but did not find larger inbreeding in the self-compatible species. Even though our results contradict our expectations, in the case of Calceolaria, their high dependence on only two genera of oil-bees puts the genus in a vulnerable reproductive position, probably facilitating the evolution of reproductive assurance mechanisms in the absence of pollinators. As a result, plants maintain their pollinator attraction traits while evolving the ability to self, possibly in a delayed way.

Divergence in Plant Traits and Increased Modularity Underlie Repeated Transitions Between Low and High Elevations in the Andean Genus Leucheria.

Understanding why some plant lineages move from one climatic region to another is a mayor goal of evolutionary biology. In the southern Andes plant lineages that have migrated along mountain ranges tracking cold-humid climates coexist with lineages that have shifted repeatedly between warm-arid at low elevations and cold habitats at high elevations. Transitions between habitats might be facilitated by the acquisition of common traits favoring a resource-conservative strategy that copes with drought resulting from either low precipitation or extreme cold. Alternatively, transitions might be accompanied by phenotypic divergence and accelerated evolution of plant traits, which in turn may depend on the level of coordination among them. Reduced integration and evolution of traits in modules are expected to increase evolutionary rates of traits, allowing diversification in contrasting climates. To examine these hypotheses, we conducted a comparative study in the herbaceous genus Leucheria. We reconstructed ancestral habitat states using Maximum Likelihood and a previously published phylogeny. We performed a Phylogenetic Principal Components Analysis on traits, and then we tested the relationship between PC axes, habitat and climate using Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares (PGLS). Finally, we compared the evolutionary rates of traits, and the levels of modularity among the three main Clades of Leucheria. Our results suggest that the genus originated at high elevations and later repeatedly colonized arid-semiarid shrublands and humid-forest at lower elevations. PGLS analysis suggested that transitions between habitats were accompanied by shifts in plant strategies: cold habitats at high elevations favored the evolution of traits related to a conservative-resource strategy (thicker and dissected leaves, with high mass per area, and high biomass allocation to roots), whereas warm-arid habitats at lower elevations favored traits related to an acquisitive-resource strategy. As expected, we detected higher levels of modularity in the clades that switched repeatedly between habitats, but higher modularity was not associated with accelerated rates of trait evolution.

Response of xerophytic plants to glacial cycles in southern South America.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Quaternary glaciations strongly affected the distribution of species from arid and semi-arid environments, as temperature drops were accompanied by strong fluctuations in rainfall. In this study, we examined the response of xerophytic species to glacial cycles, determining the genetic patterns and climatic niche of Echinopsis chiloensis var. chiloensis, an endemic columnar cactus of arid and semi-arid regions of Chile. METHODS: We analysed 11 polymorphic microsatellites for 130 individuals from 13 populations distributed across the entire distribution of the species. We examined genetic diversity and structure, identified possible patterns of isolation by distance (IBD) and tested two competing population history scenarios using Approximate Bayesian Computation. The first scenario assumes a constant population size while the second includes a bottleneck in the southern population. The latter scenario assumed that the southernmost populations experienced a strong contraction during glaciation, followed by a postglacial expansion; by contrast, the area of the northernmost populations remained as a stable refugium. We also used ecological niche modelling (ENM) to evaluate the location and extension of suitable areas during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the mid-Holocene. KEY RESULTS: We found a decline in genetic diversity towards high latitudes and a significant IBD pattern that together with ENM predictions suggest that E. chiloensis var. chiloensis experienced range contraction northwards during wet-cold conditions of the LGM, followed by expansion during aridification of the mid-Holocene. In addition to IBD, we detected the presence of a strong barrier to gene flow at 32°30'S, which according to coalescence analysis occurred 44 kyr BP. The resulting genetic clusters differed in realized climatic niche, particularly in the variables related to precipitation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the cactus E. chiloensis var. chiloensis experienced range contraction and fragmentation during the wet-cold conditions of the LGM, which may have facilitated ecological differentiation between northern and southern populations, promoting incipient speciation.

Selfing and Drought-Stress Strategies Under Water Deficit for Two Herbaceous Species in the South American Andes.

Angiosperms are highly diverse in their reproductive systems, including predominantly selfing, exclusive outcrossing, and mixed mating systems. Even though selfing can have negative consequences on natural populations, it has been proposed that plants having a predominantly selfing strategy are also associated with fast development strategies through time limitation mechanisms that allow them to complete their life cycle before the onset of severe drought. This relationship might be affected by the challenges imposed by global change, such as a decrease in pollinator availability and the earlier and more severe onset of droughts. In this work, our aim was to investigate whether selfing is correlated with a dehydration avoidance strategy, and how this could affect drought resistance and survival in two species with different types of selfing: pollinator-independent delayed selfing (Schizanthus grahamii) and pollinator-dependent selfing (Schizanthus hookeri), representing a gradient in selfing rates. We hypothesize that delayed selfing species and highly selfing populations will show "fast" plant traits whereas we will find no pattern in more outcrossed populations of the pollinator-dependent species. However, we predicted that high selfing populations would have lower survival rates when exposed to chronic drought early in their development since fast traits imply physiological compromises that will affect their drought survival. To evaluate these hypotheses, we characterized different physiological and morphological traits in response to two contrasting treatments (moist and dry) in a total of six populations of the two species. We found a relationship between the delayed selfing species and a dehydration avoidance strategy and also with low drought survival. Our work offers evidence to support the importance of abiotic factors, such as drought, on the possible variation in selfing rates on natural populations, and the effect that this mating system could have in their ability to face new environmental conditions such as those imposed by climate change.

What explains the lacklustre response to Zika in Brazil? Exploring institutional, economic and health system context.

By early-2016, the international community began to pressure Brazil for a stronger policy response to Zika. In contrast to what was seen in the past, however, these international pressures did not elicit such a response. In this article, we explore why this was the case, reviewing the government's policy response and the broader political and economic context shaping this response. The authors used single case study analysis and qualitative sources, such as books, journal articles, and government policy reports to support their empirical claims. We found that despite increased international pressures from the WHO, domestic political factors and economic recession hampered the government's ability to strengthen its health systems response to Zika. Consequently, those states most afflicted by Zika have seen policy initiatives that lack sufficient funding, administrative and human resource capacity. This study revealed that despite a government's deep foreign policy history of positively responding to international pressures through a stronger policy response to health epidemics, a sudden change in government, rising political instability, and economic recession can motivate governments to abandon this foreign policy tradition and undermine its response to new public health threats.

Floral meristem size and organ number correlation in Eucryphia (Cunoniaceae).

We present a comparative flower ontogenetic study in five species of the genus Eucryphia with the aim of testing whether differences in the organ number observed can be explained by changes in the meristematic size of floral meristem and floral organs. Species native to Oceania, viz. E. milliganii, E. lucida and E. moorei, have the smallest gynoecia with ca. 6 carpels, while the Chilean E. glutinosa and E. cordifolia present more than ten carpels. E. milliganii has the smallest flower with the lowest stamen number (ca. 50), while the other species produce around 200 stamens and more. Standardized measurements of meristematic sectors were taken in 49 developing flowers that were classified into three well-defined ontogenetic stages. Sizes of meristems varied significantly among species within each developmental stage as revealed by ANOVA analyses. Significant regressions between organ number and corresponding meristem size were consistent with the premise that a larger meristem size prior to organ initiation could be determining for a higher organ number. Flower organogenesis in Eucryphia also involves relevant meristem expansion while the organs are initiated, which results in a particular androecium patterning with a chaotic stamen arrangement. Meristem expansion also appears to be slower but more extensive in species with larger initial meristematic size, suggesting that flower phenotype can be determined in ontogeny by this heterochronic interplay of space and time.

The Diverse Iron Distribution in Eudicotyledoneae Seeds: From Arabidopsis to Quinoa.

Seeds accumulate iron during embryo maturation stages of embryogenesis. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as model plant, it has been described that mature embryos accumulate iron within a specific cell layer, the endodermis. This distribution pattern was conserved in most of the analyzed members from Brassicales, with the exception of the basal Vasconcellea pubescens that also showed elevated amounts of iron in cortex cells. To determine whether the V. pubescens iron distribution was indicative of a wider pattern in non-Brassicales Eudicotyledoneae, we studied iron distribution pattern in different embryos belonging to plant species from different Orders from Eudicotyledoneae and one basal from Magnoliidae. The results obtained indicate that iron distribution in A. thaliana embryo is an extreme case of apomorphic character found in Brassicales, not-extensive to the rest of Eudicotyledoneae.

Series de Pediatría Garrahan. El niño con problemas neurológicos / Garrahan Pediatrics Series. The child with neurological problems

Las afecciones neurológicas son uno de los motivos de consulta más frecuentes en la práctica pediátrica ambulatoria y ocupan un alto índice de las camas en la internación. El papel del pediatra en este contexto es muy complejo, ya que es quien recibe a un paciente en la emergencia o en el consultorio y debe estar atento a si un determinado síntoma o signo neurológico puede ser transitorio o el indicio de una enfermedad grave. Así, son fundamentales tanto el conocimiento de las distintas entidades neurológicas y de sus aspectos epidemiológicos y patogénicos como también el examen semiológico y los primeros estudios por realizar para la orientación diagnóstica, el tratamiento inicial, las indicaciones de derivación, la prevención de riesgos y el asesoramiento a los padres. Este nuevo volumen aborda esta temática especial con énfasis en el trabajo interdisciplinario y entre sus características se destacan: El estudio de importantes temas clínicos, como las convulsiones febriles, que se presentan en el 2% al 5% de los niños; la epilepsia infantil, con una prevalencia del 1%; la cefalea, cuya incidencia ha aumentado en los últimos veinte años y es hoy el motivo de consulta más frecuente en los servicios de neurología; las crisis paroxísticas no epilépticas, que aparecen entre el 5% y el 20% de la población infantil; el desafío diagnóstico del lactante hipotónico; las encefalopatías agudas, y los trastornos de la marcha y del movimiento. La inclusión, en todos los capítulos, de casos clínicos con su evolución y desenlace, textos destacados con los principales conceptos, puntos claves para recordar, además de material complementario, como bibliografía adicional, videos y enlaces a sitios web de interés. Una obra sólida y práctica, que transmite las experiencias de los profesionales de una institución del prestigio internacional del Hospital de Pediatría Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan ­a treinta años de su creación- dedicada a todos los pediatras, donde quiera que trabajen al servicio de la salud de los niños.

Genetic Patterns of Myrceugenia correifolia, a Rare Species of Fog-Dependent Forests of Mediterranean Chile: Is It a Climatic Relict?

Rare species frequently occur in areas with microclimatic conditions that are atypical for their regions, but that were more common in the past, and that probably have operated as climatic refugia for a long time. Myrceugenia correifolia is a rare arboreal species that grows in deep canyons and hilltops of the Coast Range of north-central Chile between 30° and 35°S. In the northern edge of its distribution M. correifolia grows in small patches of fog-dependent forest surrounding by xeric vegetation. These forest formations are thought to be remnants of an ancient and continuous rainforest that according to some authors became fragmented during aridization of the Neogene (Neogene relict) and to others during warm-dry cycles of the Pleistocene (glacial relicts). Here we asked whether the northernmost populations of M. correifolia are Neogene relicts, glacial relicts, or the result of a recent northward colonization. To answer this question we examined genetic diversity and population divergence of M. correifolia using microsatellite markers, tested various competing population history scenarios with an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) method, and complemented these data with ecological niche modeling (ENM). We detected three genetic clusters with a distinctive latitudinal pattern (north, center, and south) and high levels of differentiation (FST = 0.36). Demographic inference supported an admixture event 31 kya between two populations that diverged from an ancient population 139 kya. The admixture time coincides with the beginning of a period of wet conditions in north-central Chile that extended from 33 to 19 kya and was preceded by dry and cold conditions. These results suggest that increased precipitation during glacial periods triggered northward expansion of the range of M. correifolia, with subsequent admixture between populations that remained separated during interglacial periods. Accordingly, ENM models showed that suitable habitats for M. correifolia in north-central Chile were larger and less fragmented during the Last Glacial Maximum than at present, suggesting that northernmost populations of this species are glacial relicts.

Assessing the influence of life form and life cycle on the response of desert plants to past climate change: Genetic diversity patterns of an herbaceous lineage of Nolana along western South America.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Plant responses to past climate change could have been shaped by life-history traits. Here we explore the influence of life form on the response of xerophytic plants to Quaternary climate fluctuations, through a comparison of genetic patterns of codistributed herbaceous and shrubby lineages of the genus Nolana. METHODS: We reconstructed the phylogeographic history of a herbaceous lineage of three species of Nolana distributed from a northern arid zone (30°S) to a southern wet-temperate (42°S) zone, by sequencing two cpDNA regions. Results were compared with similar data published earlier for a congeneric, codistributed shrubby lineage. KEY RESULTS: We detected significant genetic differentiation among populations. Divergence of all haplotypes occurred during the Pleistocene, between 245 and 62 kyr ago. For both the shrubby and herbaceous lineages, the greatest haplotype diversity was found in their northern range. However, herbs also retained some diversity at higher latitude. Herbaceous populations were less genetically structured and less differentiated than shrubby ones. CONCLUSION: Genetic evidence revealed that both lineages of Nolana survived climate change through the Quaternary, experiencing population collapses and recoveries. Phylogeographic histories present similarities between the two lineages, but also marked differences that can be explained by their differences in life form and life cycle. While the shrubby lineage followed the classical pattern of postglacial expansion toward higher latitudes, species in the herbaceous lineage showed evidence of long-lasting persistence at the southern edge of their current range, suggesting for the first time multiple glacial refugia for a xerophytic plant in southern South America.

Design and evaluation of a campaign to promote the consumption of vegetables and fruits in Mexican school-age children.

INTRODUCTION: In Mexican school-age children the consumption of vegetables and fruits (V&F) is less than 25% of the amount recommended by the World Health Organization. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the effectiveness of a promotion campaign about the consumption of V&F in urban school children from Hidalgo, Mexico. METHODS: A non controlled community trial in 226 school-age children from private and public schools was conducted, we designed and distributed printed material for promoting the consumption of V&F among the school population, access to V&F was provided through planning and sales at school stores, and consumption was supervised by the teachers. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention vegetable consumption increased by 50 g and plain water in 100 mL (T-test, p < 0.05); the proportion of school-age children who identified the health benefits of the consumption of V&F increased significantly (68% initial, 87% final) and greater support from parents (61% initial, 92 final%) was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: A promotion campaign and improved access to vegetables, fruits and water in the school environment which is supported by parents and teachers can encourage healthier eating at school.

Development of microsatellite markers using next-generation sequencing for the columnar cactus Echinopsis chiloensis (Cactaceae).

The aim of this study was to develop microsatellite markers as a tool to study population structure, genetic diversity and effective population size of Echinopsis chiloensis, an endemic cactus from arid and semiarid regions of Central Chile. We developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers for E. chiloensis using next-generation sequencing and tested them in 60 individuals from six sites, covering all the latitudinal range of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 8, while the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity ranged from 0.0 to 0.80 and from 0.10 to 0.76, respectively. We also detected significant differences between sites, with FST values ranging from 0.05 to 0.29. Microsatellite markers will enable us to estimate genetic diversity and population structure of E. chiloensis in future ecological and phylogeographic studies.

Relationship between soil nutrients and mycorrhizal associations of two Bipinnula species (Orchidaceae) from central Chile.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mycorrhizal associations are influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, including climate, soil conditions and the identity of host plants. However, the effect of environmental conditions on orchid mycorrhizal associations remains poorly understood. The present study examined how differences in soil nutrient availability are related to the diversity and composition of mycorrhizal fungi associated with two terrestrial orchid species from central Chile. METHODS: For 12 populations of Bipinnula fimbriata and B. plumosa, OTU (operational taxonomic unit) richness, phylogenetic diversity and community composition of mycorrhizal fungi in root samples were estimated using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Then, these mycorrhizal diversity variables were related to soil nutrients and host species using generalized linear models and non-metric multidimensional scaling. KEY RESULTS: Variation in OTU composition of mycorrhizal fungi among sites was explained mainly by orchid host species. Fungi in Tulasnellaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae were isolated from both orchid species, but the former were more frequent in B. fimbriata and the latter in B. plumosa. Soil nutrients and orchid host species had significant effects on OTU richness and phylogenetic diversity. Mycorrhizal diversity decreased in habitats with higher N in both species and increased with P availability only in B. fimbriata CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that soil nutrient availability modulates orchid mycorrhizal associations and provide support for the hypothesis that specialization is favoured by higher soil nutrient availability. Inter-specific differences in mycorrhizal composition can arise due to a geographical pattern of distribution of orchid mycorrhizal fungi, host preferences for fungal partners or differential performance of mycorrhizal fungi under different nutrient availabilities. Further experiments are needed to evaluate these hypotheses.

Brazilian foreign policy in health during Dilma Rousseff's administration (2011-2014)

Este artigo analisa mudanças e continuidades nas ações internacionais do Brasil no campo da saúde pública, buscando compreender o desenvolvimento da política externa brasileira em saúde durante o primeiro mandato da Presidente Dilma Rousseff (2011-2014). Dados relativos à presidência de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) e do primeiro mandato de Dilma foram usados para fins de comparação. Projetos da Cooperação Sul-Sul receberam ênfase, mais especificamente os da União das Nações Sul-Americanas (Unasul, Unión de Naciones Suramericanas - Unasur) e da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP). O comportamento do Brasil em órgãos internacionais, como a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS), também foi analisado, com o propósito de compreender como tal comportamento evoluiu. Além disso, foram considerados os problemas internos. Neste caso, a coordenação entre diferentes atores do Poder Executivo brasileiro recebeu a devida atenção. Os resultados sugerem que houve uma retração ou até mesmo um declínio da política externa em saúde do país.

Functional traits variation explains the distribution of Aextoxicon punctatum (Aextoxicaceae) in pronounced moisture gradients within fog-dependent forest fragments.

Climate change and fragmentation are major threats to world forests. Understanding how functional traits related to drought tolerance change across small-scale, pronounced moisture gradients in fragmented forests is important to predict species' responses to these threats. In the case of Aextoxicon punctatum, a dominant canopy tree in fog-dependent rain forest patches in semiarid Chile, we explored how the magnitude, variability and correlation patterns of leaf and xylem vessel traits and hydraulic conductivity varied across soil moisture (SM) gradients established within and among forest patches of different size, which are associated with differences in tree establishment and mortality patterns. Leaf traits varied across soil-moisture gradients produced by fog interception. Trees growing at drier leeward edges showed higher leaf mass per area, trichome and stomatal density than trees from the wetter core and windward zones. In contrast, xylem vessel traits (vessels diameter and density) did not vary producing loss of hydraulic conductivity at drier leeward edges. We also detected higher levels of phenotypic integration and variability at leeward edges. The ability of A. punctatum to modify leaf traits in response to differences in SM availability established over short distances (<500 m) facilitates its persistence in contrasting microhabitats within forest patches. However, xylem anatomy showed limited plasticity, which increases cavitation risk at leeward edges. Greater patch fragmentation, together with fluctuations in irradiance and SM in small patches, could result in higher risk of drought-related tree mortality, with profound impacts on hydrological balances at the ecosystem scale.