This article has been retracted at the request of Microbiology because identical bands for the 16S rRNA probe controls in the Northern blots were reported to correspond to experiments using different ...strains and experimental conditions in articles published in this journal and in Journal of Bacteriology over a period of 5 years.
1 INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Parque Científico de León, Avda. Real, 1, 24006 León, Spain
2 Institut für Genomforschung und Systembiologie, Centrum für Biotechnologie, Universität ...Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
3 Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, s/n. 24071 León, Spain
Correspondence Juan F. Martín jf.martin{at}unileon.es
Genome-wide transcription profile analysis of the heat-shocked wild-type strain under moderate (40 °C) and severe heat stress (50 °C) revealed that a large number of genes are differentially expressed after heat shock. Of these, 358 genes were upregulated and 420 were downregulated in response to moderate heat shock (40 °C) in Corynebacterium glutamicum . Our results confirmed the HrcA/controlling inverted repeat of chaperone expression (CIRCE)-dependent and HspR/HspR-associated inverted repeat (HAIR)-dependent upregulation of chaperones following heat shock. Other genes, including clusters of orthologous groups (COG) related to macromolecule biosynthesis and several transcriptional regulators (COG class K), were upregulated, explaining the large number of genes affected by heat shock. Mutants having deletions in the hrcA or hspR regulators were constructed, which allowed the complete identification of the genes controlled by those systems. The up- or downregulation of several genes observed in the microarray experiments was validated by Northern blot analyses and quantitative (real-time) reverse-transcription PCR. These analyses showed a heat-shock intensity-dependent response (differential response) in the HspR/HAIR system, in contrast to the non-differential response shown by the HrcA/CIRCE-regulated genes.
Abbreviations: CIRCE, controlling inverted repeat of chaperone expression; COG, clusters of orthologous groups; CtsR, class three stress gene repressor; HAIR, HspR-associated inverted repeat; q-RT-PCR, quantitative (real-time) reverse-transcription PCR; ROSE, repression of heat-shock gene expression
The array data discussed in this paper have been deposited in EBI and are accessible through ArrayExpress series accession number E-MTAB-66.
Tables of microarray data are available as supplementary material with the online version of this paper.
•We identified the biomarkers most associated with organ failure in infection.•The combination of lipocalin-2, interleukin-15, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1, angiopoietin-2 (Dys-4) ...score combined innate immunity and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers.•Dys-4 showed a greater impact on organ failure than individual biomarkers.•Dys-4 could help to detect and monitor organ failure in infection.
Identifying host response biomarkers implicated in the emergence of organ failure during infection is key to improving the early detection of this complication.
Twenty biomarkers of innate immunity, T-cell response, endothelial dysfunction, coagulation, and immunosuppression were profiled in 180 surgical patients with infections of diverse severity (IDS) and 53 with no infection (nIDS). Those better differentiating IDS/nIDS in the area under the curve were combined to test their association with the sequential organ failure assessment score by linear regression analysis in IDS. Results were validated in another IDS cohort of 174 patients.
C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, pentraxin-3, lipocalin-2 (LCN2), tumoral necrosis factor-α, angiopoietin-2, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) and interleukin (IL)-15 yielded an area under the curve ≥0.75 to differentiate IDS from nIDS. The combination of LCN2, IL-15, TREM-1, angiopoietin-2 (Dys-4) showed the strongest association with sequential organ failure assessment score in IDS (adjusted regression coefficient; standard error; P): Dys-4 (3.55;0.44; <0.001), LCN2 (2.24; 0.28; <0.001), angiopoietin-2 (1.92; 0.33; <0.001), IL-15 (1.78; 0.40; <0.001), TREM-1(1.74; 0.46; <0.001), tumoral necrosis factor-α (1.60; 0.31; <0.001), pentraxin-3 (1.12; 0.18; <0.001), procalcitonin (0.85; 0.12; <0.001). Dys-4 provided similar results in the validation cohort.
There is a synergistic impact of innate immunity hyper-activation (LCN2, IL-15, TREM-1) and endothelial dysfunction (angiopoietin-2) on the magnitude of organ failure during infection.
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In this paper, a new approach for the development of planar metamaterial structures is developed. For this purpose, split-ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) ...coupled to planar transmission lines are investigated. The electromagnetic behavior of these elements, as well as their coupling to the host transmission line, are studied, and analytical equivalent-circuit models are proposed for the isolated and coupled SRRs/CSRRs. From these models, the stopband/passband characteristics of the analyzed SRR/CSRR loaded transmission lines are derived. It is shown that, in the long wavelength limit, these stopbands/passbands can be interpreted as due to the presence of negative/positive values for the effective /spl epsiv/ and /spl mu/ of the line. The proposed analysis is of interest in the design of compact microwave devices based on the metamaterial concept.
Despite having emerged from pandemic status, the incidence of COVID-19 episodes has recently increased in Spain, including pediatric cases and admissions to Intensive Care Units. Several recombinant ...variants are circulating among us, particularly XBB arising from two Omicron BA.2 sublineages with mutations in the genes encoding the spicule proteins that could increase binding to the ACE2 receptor and be more prone to immune escape. Faced with these, 3 pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines adapted to the XBB.1.5 sublineage that are already available for administration in our setting with risks that should not be different from those of previous mRNA vaccines and with clearly favorable benefit/risk ratios. They should be applied to patients with potential for poor COVID-19 evolution and to collectives that have a particular relationship of proximity with them. Their application should be understood not only from a perspective of individual convenience but also from that of collective responsibility. The most convenient seems to be a simultaneous immunization of COVID-19 and influenza in our environment. In the therapeutic aspect, there is little to expect right now from antisera, but the already known antiviral drugs are still available and indicated, although their efficacy will have to be reevaluated due to their impact on populations that are mostly immunized and with a better prognosis than in the past. In our opinion, it is necessary to continue to make a reasonable and timely use of masks and other non-pharmacological means of protection.
Clinical trials have established the efficacy of ranibizumab for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition, bevacizumab is used off-label to treat AMD, despite ...the absence of similar supporting data.
In a multicenter, single-blind, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned 1208 patients with neovascular AMD to receive intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or bevacizumab on either a monthly schedule or as needed with monthly evaluation. The primary outcome was the mean change in visual acuity at 1 year, with a noninferiority limit of 5 letters on the eye chart.
Bevacizumab administered monthly was equivalent to ranibizumab administered monthly, with 8.0 and 8.5 letters gained, respectively. Bevacizumab administered as needed was equivalent to ranibizumab as needed, with 5.9 and 6.8 letters gained, respectively. Ranibizumab as needed was equivalent to monthly ranibizumab, although the comparison between bevacizumab as needed and monthly bevacizumab was inconclusive. The mean decrease in central retinal thickness was greater in the ranibizumab-monthly group (196 μm) than in the other groups (152 to 168 μm, P=0.03 by analysis of variance). Rates of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke were similar for patients receiving either bevacizumab or ranibizumab (P>0.20). The proportion of patients with serious systemic adverse events (primarily hospitalizations) was higher with bevacizumab than with ranibizumab (24.1% vs. 19.0%; risk ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.66), with excess events broadly distributed in disease categories not identified in previous studies as areas of concern.
At 1 year, bevacizumab and ranibizumab had equivalent effects on visual acuity when administered according to the same schedule. Ranibizumab given as needed with monthly evaluation had effects on vision that were equivalent to those of ranibizumab administered monthly. Differences in rates of serious adverse events require further study. (Funded by the National Eye Institute; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00593450.).
We address the advantages and disadvantages of maintaining the mandatory use of masks in health centers and nursing homes in the current epidemiological situation in Spain and after the declaration ...of the World Health Organization on May 5, 2023 of the end of COVID-19 as public health emergency. We advocate for prudence and flexibility, respecting the individual decision to wear a mask and emphasizing the need for its use when symptoms suggestive of a respiratory infection appear, in situations of special vulnerability (such as immunosuppression), or when caring for patients with those infections. At present, given the observed low risk of severe COVID-19 and the low transmission of other respiratory infections, we believe that it is disproportionate to maintain the mandatory use of masks in a general way in health centers and nursing homes. However, this could change depending on the results of epidemiological surveillance and it would be necessary to reconsider returning to the obligation in periods with a high incidence of respiratory infections.
Tuberculosis in Spain: An opinion paper Moreno Guillén, S; Rodríguez-Artalejo, F J; Ruiz-Galiana, J ...
Revista española de quimioterapia,
12/2023, Letnik:
36, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
This document is the result of the deliberations of the Committee on Emerging Pathogens and COVID-19 of the Illustrious Official College of Physicians of Madrid (ICOMEM) regarding the current ...situation of tuberculosis, particularly in Spain. We have reviewed aspects such as the evolution of its incidence, the populations currently most exposed and the health care circuits for the care of these patients in Spain. We have also discussed latent tuberculosis, the reality of extrapulmonary disease in the XXI century and the means available in daily practice for the diagnosis of both latent and active forms. The contribution of molecular biology, which has changed the perspective of this disease, was another topic of discussion. The paper tries to put into perspective both the classical drugs and their resistance figures and the availability and indications of the new ones. In addition, the reality of direct observation in the administration of antituberculosis drugs has been discussed. All this revolution is making it possible to shorten the treatment time for tuberculosis, a subject that has also been reviewed. If everything is done well, the risk of relapse of tuberculosis is small but it exists. On the other hand, many special situations have been discussed in this paper, such as tuberculosis in pediatric age and tuberculosis as a cause for concern in surgery and intensive care. The status of the BCG vaccine and its present indications as well as the future of new vaccines to achieve the old dream of eradicating this disease have been discussed. Finally, the ethical and medicolegal implications of this disease are not a minor issue and our situation in this regard has been reviewed.
Controlled deficit irrigation (CDI) was studied in a muskmelon crop cultivated in semi-arid climate. Nine drip irrigation treatments were differentiated by the level to which the water requirements ...were met. The effect of deficit irrigation at three crop stages (blooming, setting and ripening) was studied. Fruit yield and its components were highly influenced by the total volume of irrigation water. The treatments with a deficit during the blooming stage had the lowest production. The deficit imposed during blooming stage affected mainly to quantity (yield), at setting stage both quantity and quality, and the deficit imposed at ripening stage affected principally to quality (sugar content).
The mathematical function that better fits the relation between production and water volume received is a second-degree polynomial.
Adequate production rates may be reached with no more of 400
mm, provided that the fruit setting stage is not subjected to water stress, particularly in its early stages. Under this conditions, the fruit obtained would be fairly rich in sugar content.
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