Taxonomy and phylogeny of clinically important mucoralean fungi

Recientemente, varios estudios han comunicado la creciente incidencia de mucormicosis tanto en pacientes inmunosuprimidos como inmunocompetentes (Bitar et al., 2009; Roden et al., 2005; Saegeman et al., 2010). Algunas especies pertenecientes al orden Mucorales (subphylum Mucoromycotina) son considerados patógenos oportunistas, causando infecciones con una alta tasa de mortalidad. Interesante es el cambio epidemiológico observado tanto en Apophysomyces elegans, como en Saksenaea vasiformis, dos especies consideradas patógenos emergentes, con una gran relevancia clínica en los últimos años, debido a la infección en personas inmunocompetentes. Otro aspecto relevante es el hecho de que los Mucorales son resistentes a la mayoría de los antifúngicos disponibles en la actualidad. La anfotericina B es el único medicamento antimicótico que ha demostrado una potente actividad in vitro y una considerable eficacia in vivo. Sin embargo, la eficacia clínica sigue siendo limitada, con una alta tasa de mortalidad, sobre todo cuando las infecciones son causadas por agentes tales como Saksenaea vasiformis o Apophysomyces elegans. En la presente tesis, se analizó un amplio panel de aislamientos procedentes de muestras clínicas, principalmente de los Estados Unidos de América. Hemos sido capaces de demostrar la utilidad de las herramientas morfológicas en la identificación de los mucorales, obteniendo un 92% de correlación con las herramientas moleculares. Además, y en base a un enfoque polifásico, que incluyó el análisis de la morfología, la fisiología y las secuencias de diversos genes; siete nuevas especies de mucorales han sido descubiertas y descritas: Apophysomyces ossiformis; Apophysomyces trapeziformis; Apophysomyces variabilis; Mucor ellipsoideus; Mucor velutinosus; Saksenaea erythrospora, y Saksenaea oblongispora.Recently, several studies have reported the increasing incidence of mucormycosis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients (Bitar et al., 2009; Roden et al., 2005; Saegeman et al., 2010). Some species belonging to the order Mucorales (subphylum Mucoromycotina) are considered opportunistic pathogens, causing infections with a high mortality rate. Interesting is the epidemiological change observed in both Apophysomyces elegans and Saksenaea vasiformis, two species considered emerging pathogens, with a high clinical relevance in recent years, due to the infection in immunocompetent people. Another relevant aspect is the fact that the Mucorales are resistant to most of the currently available antifungal drugs. Amphotericin B is the only antifungal drug to show potent in vitro activity and in vivo efficacy. Nevertheless, the clinical efficacy remains limited, with high mortality rate, especially when the infections are caused by either Saksenaea vasiformis or Apophysomyces elegans. In the present thesis, we analyzed a large panel of isolates from clinical samples, principally from of the United States of America. We have been able to demonstrate the useful of morphological tools in the identification of mucoralean fungi, obtaining a 92% of correlation with the molecular tools. Additionally, and based on a polyphasic taxonomy approach which included morphology, physiology and DNA sequence analyses, 7 new species of mucoralean fungi have been discovered and described: Apophysomyces ossiformis; Apophysomyces trapeziformis; Apophysomyces variabilis; Mucor ellipsoideus; Mucor velutinosus; Saksenaea erythrospora, and Saksenaea oblongispora

El Subphylum Mucoromycotina: generalidades y aspectos taxonómicos recientes

El subphylum Mucoromycotina es un grupo de hongos ubicuos, saprobios, caracterizados por la presencia de hifas cenocíticas. También se caracterizan por presentar una fase sexual con la formación de una zigospora. Los mucormycetes son capaces de infectar plantas, animales y seres humanos. Recientemente, varios estudios han comunicado de la creciente incidencia de mucormicosis en pacientes inmunocomprometidos e inmunocompetentes. Dados los avances en biología molecular, la sistemática de este grupo de hongos ha experimentado varios cambios taxonómicos en los últimos años. Este artículo discutirá los principales cambios taxonómicos, en especial de los géneros y especies de interés clínico

Desigualdad en la bonificación judicial: un análisis de la situación de los servidores públicos del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses en Colombia.

El texto aborda la desigualdad en la bonificación judicial para los servidores públicos del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses en Colombia. Surge por la no aplicación de los decretos 382, 383 y 384 de 2013, generando disparidades salariales y afectando la motivación laboral. La investigación se propone analizar esta desigualdad, examinar factores institucionales y comparar con otras entidades, buscando recomendaciones para reducir la brecha salarial y mejorar la equidad laboral. La metodología incluye revisión de literatura y análisis de datos, con el objetivo de contribuir a la equidad laboral en una institución clave para la administración de justicia en el país.Universidad Libre - Facultad de Derecho - Maestría en Derecho AdministrativoThe text addresses the inequality in judicial bonuses for public servants at the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Colombia. It arises due to the non-application of Decrees 382, 383, and 384 of 2013, leading to salary disparities and affecting job motivation. The research aims to analyze this inequality, examine institutional factors, and compare with other entities, seeking recommendations to reduce the wage gap and improve workplace fairness. The methodology includes literature review and data analysis, with the goal of contributing to labor equity in a key institution for justice administration in the country

Los funcionarios del poder judicial en Colombia: la bonificación y el factor salarial

El salario se constituye como una contra prestación por un servicio realizado, no obstante, dentro de este servicio hay unas bonificaciones que reciben los trabajadores de la rama judicial que no constituyen salario, entre las que se encuentran las primas especiales de navidad y productividad. Esto trae consigo una afectación al patrimonio de los trabajadores, ya que al considerar que un pago no constituye salario, ello significa que los mismos no forman parte de la base para el cálculo de las prestaciones sociales, aportes parafiscales ni de la seguridad social, mostrándose así, en este trabajo que la nueva consagración del decreto 1014 de 2017, mantiene la afectación al patrimonio en los trabajadores de la rama judicial.The salary is constituted as a contra provision for a service performed, however, within this service there are bonuses that workers receive from the judicial branch that do not constitute salary, among which are special bonuses, christmas, productivity. This brings with it an affectation to the patrimony of the workers since when considering that a payment does not constitute salary, it means that those payments are not part of the base for the calculation of the social benefits, parafiscal contributions or of the social security, showing in this work that the new consecration of decree 1014 of 2017, maintains the affectation to the patrimony in the workers of the judicial branch

Desarrollo y manejo de la inclusión financiera a nivel mundial y su estrecha relación con las variables sociales

18 Páginas.Actualmente se tiene una visión general acerca de la importancia de los sistemas financieros de diferentes países a nivel mundial pues se puede decir que cada vez son más los usuarios que disfrutan sus productos y servicios, sin distinción de edades, género y estratos socioeconómicos, sin embargo, es evidente que son necesarias las mejoras e implementaciones para que la falta de acceso pueda eliminarse de manera radical. Estas creencias se evidencian observando los indicadores en la base de datos de Global Findex del Banco Mundial la cual mide la inclusión financiera que se entendería como el proceso de integración de los servicios financieros a las actividades económicas cotidianas de la población, que puede contribuir de manera importante al crecimiento económico en la medida en que permita reducir de manera efectiva los costos de financiación, aseguramiento y manejo de los recursos, tanto para las personas como para las empresas, y que con el paso del tiempo ha tenido un mayor auge no solo a nivel político y social sino también a nivel investigativo pues según la edición 2014 de Global Findex se muestra que el 62% de los adultos en el mundo tienen una cuenta en un banco u otro tipo de institución financiera o con un proveedor de dinero móvil y que un 12% más de adultos en 2011 de todo el mundo tienen una cuenta con una institución financiera formal. De acuerdo a lo anterior y teniendo en cuenta la literatura se pueden establecer asociaciones de tipo estadístico que expliquen la influencia de las variables sociales en el desarrollo de la inclusión financiera a nivel mundial y cuáles son las variables dentro y fuera del Findex que presentan un grado de influencia mayor sobre la misma usando regresiones lineales para explicar dicha relacion entre variables.​

Development, Characterization, and Applications of Capsaicin Composite Nanofiltration Membranes

Biofouling in reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a severe problem, causing a decrease in both permeate flux and salt rejection and increasing transmembrane pressure. Capsaicin extract inhibits bacterial growth and is therefore used in this study to prepare a thin-film composite membrane and membrane support. Four types of nanofiltration (NF) membranes were prepared by interfacial polymerization onto a porous support prepared by the phase inversion method. Membrane A was the control membrane with no capsaicin extract, membrane B contains capsaicin in the polyamide thin film, membrane C contains capsaicin in the porous support, and membrane D contains capsaicin in both the thin film and support layers. Three different salts (Na2SO4, MgSO4, and NaCl) were used at different concentrations (1000, 3000, and 5000 ppm) to test the performance of the membranes in terms of salt rejection and permeate flux. Membrane B showed the highest rejection for all the salts and concentrations tested. For 5000 ppm NaCl, the permeate flux for membrane B was 14.81% higher, and salt rejection was 19.6% higher than membrane A. Future work will evaluate the anti-biofouling properties of the membranes prepared with capsaicin, when exposed to seawater microorganisms

El sílex como recurso mineral en la Prehistoria de Asturias

Until 2000 in Asturias we have little information about the silica raw material sources related with the prehistoric lithic industries. Since that time some work has been done trying to identify the origin and exploitation of those sources. We expose what is known from the geological and archaeological point of view, and we show the novelties relating the incoming area of one kind of flint, and the characterisation of a new type used in the prehistory of Asturias, whose movement through the region is really important and, also, it is present in other Cantabrian and bordering areas.Hast el año 2000 en Asturias había poca información sobre las fuentes de materias primas silíceas relacionadas con las industrias líticas prehistóricas. Desde esa fecha contamos con varios trabajos que profundizan en la ubicación, identificación y explotación de esas materias primas. Se expondrá lo conocido desde el punto de vista geológico y arqueológico, al tiempo que se mostrarán las novedades relativas al hallazgo del lugar de procedencia de algunas variedades de sílex, y la caracterización de un nuevo tipo explotado en la prehistoria asturiana, siendo el que más circula en la región e, incluso, se encuentra en otras áreas cantábricas y limítrofes

A Leishmania-specific hypothetical protein expressed in both promastigote and amastigote stages of Leishmania infantum employed for the serodiagnosis of, and as a vaccine candidate against, visceral leishmaniasis

Background: LiHyV is an antigenic hypothetical protein present in both promastigote and amastigote stages of Leishmania infantum, which was recently identified by an immunoproteomic approach. A recombinant version of this protein (rLiHyV) was evaluated as a diagnostic marker for canine VL (CVL). In addition, the prophylactic efficacy of the rLiHyV protein, and two of its CD8+ T cell epitopes, has been analyzed in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Methods: Initially, the rLiHyV protein was evaluated by an ELISA technique for the serodiagnosis of CVL. Secondly, vaccines composed of the recombinant protein and both chemically synthesized peptides, combined with saponin as an adjuvant; were administered subcutaneously into BALB/c mice. The cellular and humoral responses generated by vaccination were evaluated. In addition, the parasite burden and immune response were studied 10 weeks after L. infantum infection. Results: The rLiHyV protein was recognized by antibodies of VL dogs. No cross-reactivity was obtained with sera from dogs vaccinated with a Brazilian commercial vaccine, with sera from animals infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, Babesia canis and Ehrlichia canis, or those from non-infected animals living in an endemic area for leishmaniasis. After challenge with L. infantum, spleen cells of BALB/c mice vaccinated with rLiHyV/saponin stimulated with parasite antigens showed a higher production of IFN-γ, IL-12 and GM-CSF, than the same cells obtained from mice vaccinated with the individual peptides, or mice from control (inoculated with saline or saponin) groups. This Th1-type cellular response observed in rLiHyV/saponin vaccinated mice was accompanied by the induction of parasite-specific IgG2a isotype antibodies. Animals immunized with rLiHyV/saponin showed significant reductions in the parasite burden in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and in the lymph nodes draining the paws relative to control mice. Conclusions: The present study showed for the first time that the L. infantum LiHyV protein could be considered as a vaccine candidate against L. infantum infection, as well as a diagnostic marker for CVLThis work was supported by grants from Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Nanobiofarmacêutica (INCT-Nanobiofar), FAPEMIG (CBB-APQ-00819-12), and CNPq (APQ-472090/2011-9, RHAE-456287/2012-4, APQ-482976/2012-8, and APQ-488237/2013-0). MACF is a grant recipient of FAPEMIG/CAPES. EAFC and APF are grant recipient of CNP

Proteins selected in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis by an immunoproteomic approach with potential serodiagnosis applications for tegumentary leishmaniasis

The serodiagnosis of human tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) presents some problems, such as the low level of antileishmanial antibodies found in most of the patients, as well as the cross-reactivity in subjects infected by other trypanosomatids. In the present study, an immunoproteomic approach was performed aimed at identification of antigens in total extracts of stationaryphase promastigote and amastigote-like forms of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis using sera from TL patients. With the purpose of reducing the cross-reactivity of the identified proteins, spots recognized by sera from TL patients, as well as those recognized by antibodies present in sera from noninfected patients living in areas where TL is endemic and sera from Chagas disease patients, were discarded. Two Leishmania hypothetical proteins and 18 proteins with known functions were identified as antigenic. The study was extended with some of them to validate the results of the immunoscreening. The coding regions of five of the characterized antigens (enolase, tryparedoxin peroxidase, eukaryotic initiation factor 5a, β-tubulin, and one of the hypothetical proteins) were cloned in a prokaryotic expression vector, and the corresponding recombinant proteins were purified and evaluated for the serodiagnosis of TL. The antigens presented sensitivity and specificity values ranging from 95.4 to 100% and 82.5 to 100%, respectively. As a comparative antigen, a preparation of Leishmania extract showed sensitivity and specificity values of 65.1 and 57.5%, respectively. The present study has enabled the identification of proteins able to be employed for the serodiagnosis of TLThis work was supported by grants from Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Nano-biofarmacêutica (INCT-Nanobiofar), FAPEMIG (CBB-APQ-00496-11 and CBB-APQ-00819-12), and CNPq (APQ- 472090/2011-9, APQ-482976/2012-8, and APQ-488237/2013-0). In addition, this study was partially funded in Madrid by a Spanish grant from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad-FEDER (FISPI14/00366 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III). M.A.C.F. is a grant recipient of FAPEMIG/CAPES. E.A.F.C., A.P.F., and M.O.C.R. are recipients of grants from CNP

Antibiotic resistance of ESKAPE group-microorganisms in health institutions from Hermosillo and Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México

IntroductionEnterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. are microorganisms referred as the ESKAPE group pathogens. These microorganisms have generated great concern in health institutions around the world since most of them have resistance to multiple antibiotics and cause most infections associated with healthcare, as well as community infections. The aim of this study was the analysis of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms of the ESKAPE group, recovered from clinical samples in 11 health institutions from Hermosillo and Ciudad Obregón in the State of Sonora, México, during the period from 2019 to 2020.MethodsA cross-sectional, descriptive, observational, and temporality epidemiological study was carried out. A comparative and statistical analysis of antibiotic resistance was carried out using the chi-square test, and small values were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test p ≤ 0.05.Results and discussionAll the ESKAPE group microorganisms showed significant differences in antibiotic resistance percentages between both cities. High resistance percentages for some antibiotics, like cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin were detected for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii