This study aimed to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from the digestive tract, meat and slime of edible snails (
Helix lucorum
,
Helix aspersa
and
Eobania vermiculata
) and investigate their ...antagonistic activity against
Penicillium expansum
. They were then characterized for their probiotic potential. Among 900 bacterial isolates, 47 LAB exhibiting anti-
P. expansum
activity were identified through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as
Levilactobacillus brevis
(25),
Lactococcus lactis
(3),
Enterococcus faecium
(12),
Enterococcus faecalis
(4),
Enterococcus casseliflavus
(1), and
Enterococcus mundtii
(2). Sixty-two percent of the strains were tolerant to 100 mg/L of lysozyme. Seventy two percent of the isolates were able to survive at pH 3 and most of them tolerate 2.5% bile salt concentration. Moreover, 23% of the strains displayed bile salt hydrolase activity. Interestingly, all strains were biofilm strong producers. However, their auto- and co-aggregation properties were time and pH dependent with high aggregative potentiality at pH 4.5 after 24 h. Remarkably, 48.94% of the strains showed high affinity to chloroform. The safety assessment revealed that the 47 LAB had no hemolytic activity and 64% of them lacked mucin degradation activity. All isolated strains were susceptible to gentamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Overall, 43 LAB strains showed inhibitory activity against a broad spectrum of pathogenic Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Our findings suggest that
L. brevis
(EVM12 and EVM14) and
Ent. faecium
HAS34 strains could be potential candidates for probiotics with interesting antibacterial and anti-
P. expansum
activities.
Currently, the most common chronic metabolic disease in our society is Diabetes Mellitus. The diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus supposes an impact for the patient, since it requires a modification in ...the lifestyle, which demands a great capacity for adaptation and modification of habits. The aim of the study was to determine whether personality factors and health status influence resilience and coping strategies in a sample of healthy and diabetic subjects.
The sample included a total of 401 subjects (201 patients with Diabetes and 200 without pathology). The instruments applied for data collection were: Sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Resilience Scale, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire and The "Big Five" factor taxonomy. The data collection period was approximately 2 years (between February 2018 and January 2020).
Certain personality factors, such as Emotional Stability, Integrity, Conscientiousness and Extraversion, were positively related to Resilience. Additionally, Emotional Stability, Integrity, and Extraversion were positively associated with Rational Coping. On the other hand, emotional stability, agreeableness and extraversion were negatively related to emotional coping. In relation to health status, the absence of pathology is related to the use of rational strategies more than to the diagnosis of diabetes. Therefore, the participants in this study present different psychological patterns depending on personality and health status.
The present study shows that the subjects of the sample present different psychological patterns depending on Personality and health status.
The screening of the BCR::ABL1 kinase domain (KD) mutation has become a routine analysis in case of warning/failure for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic ...leukemia (ALL) Philadelphia (Ph)-positive patients. In this study, we present a novel DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) methodology for KD ABL1 mutation detection and monitoring with a 1.0E-4 sensitivity. This approach was validated with a well-stablished RNA-based nested NGS method. The correlation of both techniques for the quantification of ABL1 mutations was high (Pearson r = 0.858, p < 0.001), offering DNA-DeepNGS a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 82%. The clinical impact was studied in a cohort of 129 patients (n = 67 for CML and n = 62 for B-ALL patients). A total of 162 samples (n = 86 CML and n = 76 B-ALL) were studied. Of them, 27 out of 86 harbored mutations (6 in warning and 21 in failure) for CML, and 13 out of 76 (2 diagnostic and 11 relapse samples) did in B-ALL patients. In addition, in four cases were detected mutation despite BCR::ABL1 < 1%. In conclusion, we were able to detect KD ABL1 mutations with a 1.0E-4 sensitivity by NGS using DNA as starting material even in patients with low levels of disease.
Objective
To assess the test‐retest reliability of the 10‐step stair ascent test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and 10‐meter walking test under dual‐task conditions in patients with fibromyalgia.
...Design
Test‐retest reliability.
Settings
Local fibromyalgia association and university facilities.
Participants
Thirty‐eight women with fibromyalgia.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Fear of falling and the number of falls in the last year were measured using a visual analogue scale. The 10‐step stair ascent test, TUG test, and 10‐meter walking test were conducted under single‐ and dual‐task conditions. The order between single‐ and dual‐task condition was randomized in both test and retest. Retest measurement was assessed the week following the test.
Results
The reliability of the performance on the 10‐step stair ascent test under dual and single conditions ranged between good (>0.75 to < 0.9) and excellent (≥0.9), but there were significant differences between test and retest. The reliability of the TUG is between good (≥0.75 to < 0.9) and excellent (≥0.9) under the dual‐task condition as well as moderate (≥0.5 to <0.75) and excellent (≥0.9) under the single‐task condition. The reliability of the 10‐meter walking dual‐task test is between moderate (≥0.5 to <0.75) and good (≥0.75 to < 0.9) under dual‐ and single‐task condition, respectively.
Conclusions
The TUG and 10‐meter walking tests are reliable for assessing mobility under the dual‐task condition in women with fibromyalgia. The performance on the TUG, 10‐step stair ascent, and 10‐meter walking test under single‐ and dual‐task conditions was significantly related to fear of falling. These results may help healthcare professionals and researchers to interpret the effect of interventions in women with fibromyalgia.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic in Southern Europe. However, details regarding disease burden, clinical presentations, laboratory markers, management and outcome in children are scarce.
...Medical records of children (<14 years) admitted with VL to 10 pediatric units in Andalusia (2004-2019) were retrospectively reviewed. VL diagnosis was based on clinical presentation, serology, microscopy and molecular methods. Diagnosis of secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) was established using the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-2004 criteria.
A total of 127 patients were identified. Median age was 14.5 months; the main clinical presentations were fever and splenomegaly (95.3% each). Cytopenias were the most common laboratory abnormalities. Diagnostics as well as treatment regimens varied over time and the participating centers. Liposomal amphotericin B was prescribed in 97.6%; relapses as well as adverse events were rarely observed (3.1% each). Thirty-seven patients, diagnosed with sHLH required longer hospital admission (P = 0.001), an increased number of platelet (P < 0.006) and red blood cell (P = 0.0001) transfusions and pediatric intensive care unit admission (P = 0.007). Monocytopenia (P = 0.011) and high C-reactive protein levels (P = 0.031), variables not included in the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-2004 criteria, were associated with sHLH. One patient deceased in the context of the Leishmania infection.
We report data on the largest pediatric VL cohort from Europe, commonly associated with sHLH. Raised C-reactive protein levels and monocytopenia appear to be associated with sHLH. The latter may help to identify these patients and to guide decisions regarding need of additional supportive clinical care and immunomodulatory therapies. The observed high rate of heterogeneity in terms of diagnosis and management warrants the establishment of appropriate guidelines.
In recent years, novel teaching methodologies have been emerging with the aim of improving student learning. One of them is known as Blended Learning. BL allows educators to integrate elements of ...traditional face-to-face teaching with tailored online learning modalities, integrating the distinct strengths of both methodologies.
To determine the effectiveness of a heart disease blended learning program in undergraduate physiotherapy students.
124 participants (average age 21.20 ± 4.67 years, 58.87% female) performed an 8-week heart disease blended learning program that included face-to-face classes and online resources. Knowledge was assessed at baseline, at 4, 8, 12 and 20 weeks. Motivation and engagement were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks. Design of the instructions and learning behaviors were measured at 8 weeks. Finally, 108 subjects completed the study.
Knowledge significantly increased mid-program (
= 0.02), at the end of the program (
< 0.001), at 12 weeks (
< 0.001) and 20 weeks (
= 0.001). After the intervention, a high intrinsic motivation was shown (5.60 ± 0.80)) over 7), whilst extrinsic motivation scored 4.24 ± 0.97 over 7.Finally, engagement (3.98 ± 0.52) over 5), design of the instructions (4.15 ± 0.62) over 5) and learning behaviors (70.51 ± 36.08) downloads, 28.97 ± 16.09) topics visited, and online questionnaires scored 7.67 ± 1.60) over 10) reported adequate scores.
This program seems to be an appropriate methodology in future physiotherapists, since it improved knowledge and participants exhibited a high motivation and an adequate engagement, design of the program instructions and learning behaviors.
This study aimed to assess the impact of the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV13) on the molecular epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children from Andalusia. ...A population-based prospective surveillance study was conducted on IPD in children aged <14 years from Andalusia (2018–2020). Pneumococcal invasive isolates collected between 2006 and 2009 in the two largest tertiary hospitals in Andalusia were used as pre-PCV13 controls for comparison of serotype/genotype distribution. Overall IPD incidence rate was 3.55 cases per 100 000 in 2018; increased non-significantly to 4.20 cases per 100 000 in 2019 and declined in 2020 to 1.69 cases per 100 000 (incidence rate ratio 2020 vs. 2019: 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20–0.89, P = 0.01). Proportion of IPD cases due to PCV13 serotypes in 2018–2020 was 28% (P = 0.0001 for comparison with 2006–2009). Serotypes 24F (15%) and 11A (8.3%) were the most frequently identified non-PCV13 serotypes (NVT) in 2018–2020. Penicillin- and/or ampicillin-resistant clones mostly belonged to clonal complex 156 (serotype 14-ST156 and ST2944 and serotype 11A-ST6521). The proportion of IPD cases caused by PCV13 serotypes declined significantly after the initiation of the PCV13 vaccination programme in 2016. Certain NVT, such as serotypes 24F and 11A, warrant future monitoring in IPD owing to invasive potential and/or antibiotic resistance rates.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus, that was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Currently, the World Health ...Organization (WHO) has defined the infection as a global pandemic and there is a health and social emergency for the management of this new infection. While most people with COVID-19 develop only mild or uncomplicated illness, approximately 14% develop severe disease that requires hospitalization and oxygen support, and 5% require admission to an intensive care unit. In severe cases, COVID-19 can be complicated by the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, and multiorgan failure. This consensus document has been prepared on evidence-informed guidelines developed by a multidisciplinary panel of health care providers from four Spanish scientific societies (Spanish Society of Intensive Care Medicine SEMICYUC, Spanish Society of Pulmonologists SEPAR, Spanish Society of Emergency SEMES, Spanish Society of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, and Pain SEDAR) with experience in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19 and other viral infections, including SARS, as well as sepsis and ARDS. The document provides clinical recommendations for the noninvasive respiratory support (noninvasive ventilation, high flow oxygen therapy with nasal cannula) in any patient with suspected or confirmed presentation of COVID-19 with acute respiratory failure. This consensus guidance should serve as a foundation for optimized supportive care to ensure the best possible chance for survival and to allow for reliable comparison of investigational therapeutic interventions as part of randomized controlled trials.
The functional and pathological implications of the enormous genetic diversity of the human genome are mostly unknown, primarily due to our unability to predict pathogenicity in a high-throughput ...manner. In this work, we characterized the phenotypic consequences of eight naturally-occurring missense variants on the multifunctional and disease-associated NQO1 protein using biophysical and structural analyses on several protein traits. Mutations found in both exome-sequencing initiatives and in cancer cell lines cause mild to catastrophic effects on NQO1 stability and function. Importantly, some mutations perturb functional features located structurally far from the mutated site. These effects are well rationalized by considering the nature of the mutation, its location in protein structure and the local stability of its environment. Using a set of 22 experimentally characterized mutations in NQO1, we generated experimental scores for pathogenicity that correlate reasonably well with bioinformatic scores derived from a set of commonly used algorithms, although the latter fail to semiquantitatively predict the phenotypic alterations caused by a significant fraction of mutations individually. These results provide insight into the propagation of mutational effects on multifunctional proteins, the implementation of
approaches for establishing genotype-phenotype correlations and the molecular determinants underlying loss-of-function in genetic diseases.
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