Clinical and epidemiological characterization of a lymphogranuloma venereum outbreak in Madrid, Spain: co-circulation of two variants

AbstractThe lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) outbreak described in the Netherlands in 2003, increased the interest in the genotyping of Chlamydia trachomatis. Although international surveillance programmes were implemented, these studies slowly decreased in the following years. Now data have revealed a new accumulation of LGV cases in those European countries with extended surveillance programmes. Between March 2009 and November 2011, a study was carried out to detect LGV cases in Madrid. The study was based on screening of C. trachomatis using commercial kits, followed by real-time pmpH-PCR discriminating LGV strains, and finally ompA gene was sequenced for phylogenetic reconstruction. Ninety-four LGV infections were identified. The number of cases increased from 10 to 30 and then to 54 during 2009–2011. Incidence of LGV was strongly associated with men who have sex with men; but in 2011, LGV cases were described in women and heterosexual men. Sixty-nine patients were also human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive, with detectable viral loads at the moment of LGV diagnosis, suggesting a high-risk of co-transmission. In fact, in four patients the diagnosis of HIV was simultaneous with LGV infection. The conventional treatment with doxycycline was prescribed in 75 patients, although in three patients the treatment failed. The sequencing of the ompA gene permitted identification of two independent transmission nodes. One constituted by 25 sequences identical to the L2b variant, and a second node including 37 sequences identical to L2. This epidemiological situation characterized by the co-circulation of two LGV variants has not been previously described, reinforcing the need for screening and genotyping of LGV strains

MLIP genotype as a predictor of pharmacological response in primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Predicting the therapeutic response to ocular hypotensive drugs is crucial for the clinical treatment and management of glaucoma. Our aim was to identify a possible genetic contribution to the response to current pharmacological treatments of choice in a white Mediterranean population with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). We conducted a prospective, controlled, randomized, partial crossover study that included 151 patients of both genders, aged 18 years and older, diagnosed with and requiring pharmacological treatment for POAG or OH in one or both eyes. We sought to identify copy number variants (CNVs) associated with differences in pharmacological response, using a DNA pooling strategy of carefully phenotyped treatment responders and non-responders, treated for a minimum of 6 weeks with a beta-blocker (timolol maleate) and/or prostaglandin analog (latanoprost). Diurnal intraocular pressure reduction and comparative genome wide CNVs were analyzed. Our finding that copy number alleles of an intronic portion of the MLIP gene is a predictor of pharmacological response to beta blockers and prostaglandin analogs could be used as a biomarker to guide first-tier POAG and OH treatment. Our finding improves understanding of the genetic factors modulating pharmacological response in POAG and OH, and represents an important contribution to the establishment of a personalized approach to the treatment of glaucoma

Oxidación alílica de monoterpenos con metaloftalocianinas

Se presentan los resultados de la oxidación alílica de los monoterpenos limoneno y a-pineno usando metaloftalocianinas inmovilizadas en sílica como catalizadores biomiméticos. Se evaluó el efecto del metal en la producción de carvona y verbenona, observándose el siguiente orden de reactividad: Fe > Co> Cr > Mn > Cu. Los mayores rendimientos hacia verbenona, 15 por ciento, se obtuvieron con los catalizadores FePcS-S y CoPcS-

Oxidación alílica de monoterpenos con metaloftalocianinas

Se presentan los resultados de la oxidación alílica de los monoterpenos limoneno y a-pineno usando metaloftalocianinas inmovilizadas en sílica como catalizadores biomiméticos. Se evaluó el efecto del metal en la producción de carvona y verbenona, observándose el siguiente orden de reactividad: Fe > Co> Cr > Mn > Cu. Los mayores rendimientos hacia verbenona, 15 por ciento, se obtuvieron con los catalizadores FePcS-S y CoPcS-

Feasibility and Reliability of a Questionnaire to Assess the Mode, Frequency, Distance and Time of Commuting to and from School: The PACO Study

Active commuting to and from school has several health implications. Self-reporting is the most common assessment tool, but there is a high heterogeneity of questionnaires in the scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to analyse the feasibility and reliability of the Spanish “New Version of Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School” questionnaire in children and adolescents. A total of 635 children (5–12 years old) and 362 adolescents (12–18 years old) filled out the questionnaire twice (14 days apart). Feasibility was evaluated using an observational checklist. The test-retest reliability of the “New Version of Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School” questionnaire and the distance and time to school were examined using the kappa and weight kappa coefficient (κ). No misunderstanding of questions was reported. The time to complete the questionnaire was 15 ± 3.62 and 9 ± 2.26 min for children and adolescents, respectively. The questionnaire showed substantial and almost perfect kappa coefficients for the overall six items (k = 0.61–0.94) in children and adolescents. The “New Version of Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School” questionnaire is a feasible and reliable questionnaire in Spanish children and adolescents.Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and CompetitivenessEuropean Union (EU) DEP2016-75598-RUniversity of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, excellence actions: Units of ExcellenceUnit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES)Junta de AndaluciaConsejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y UniversidadesEuropean Union (EU) SOMM17/6107/UGREuropean Social Fund (ESF

FAS system deregulation in T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma

The acquisition of resistance towards FAS-mediated apoptosis may be required for tumor formation. Tumors from various histological origins exhibit FAS mutations, the most frequent being hematological malignancies. However, data regarding FAS mutations or FAS signaling alterations are still lacking in precursor T-cell lymphoblastic lymphomas (T-LBLs). The available data on acute lymphoblastic leukemia, of precursor origin as well, indicate a low frequency of FAS mutations but often report a serious reduction in FAS-mediated apoptosis as well as chemoresistance, thus suggesting the occurrence of mechanisms able to deregulate the FAS signaling pathway, different from FAS mutation. Our aim at this study was to determine whether FAS-mediated apoptotic signaling is compromised in human T-LBL samples and the mechanisms involved. This study on 26 T-LBL samples confirms that the FAS system is impaired to a wide extent in these tumors, with 57.7% of the cases presenting any alteration of the pathway. A variety of mechanisms seems to be involved in such alteration, in order of frequency the downregulation of FAS, the deregulation of other members of the pathway and the occurrence of mutations at FAS. Considering these results together, it seems plausible to think of a cumulative effect of several alterations in each T-LBL, which in turn may result in FAS/FASLG system deregulation. Since defective FAS signaling may render the T-LBL tumor cells resistant to apoptotic cell death, the correct prognosis, diagnosis and thus the success of anticancer therapy may require such an in-depth knowledge of the complete scenario of FAS-signaling alterations.S

Psychometric characteristics of a commuting-to-school behaviour questionnaire for families

The purposes of this study were: (a) to describe the patterns of modes of commuting to school (children) and to work (parents) separated by gender and age, (b) to validate the questions on children’s mode of commuting to and from school according to their parents, and (c) to analyse the reliability of a family questionnaire focused on commuting to school behaviours. A total of 611 parents (mean age: 43.28 ± 6.25 years old) from Granada (Spain) completed “Family commuting-to-school behaviour” questionnaire in two sessions separated by 14 days, (2016 and 2018). The validation between family and children’s questions was assessed using the Kappa and Spearman correlation coefficients, and the test–retest reliability within the family questions was assessed using the Kappa and the weighted Kappa. The children’s modes of commuting to school (mean age: 11.44 ± 2.77 years old) were mainly passive (57.7% to school) while parents’ modes of commuting to work were mainly active (71.6%). The validity of the mode of commuting was significant with high Kappa and Spearman coefficients. The test–retest reliability presented a good agreement for the mode of commuting to school in children, distance and time to school, and the mode of commuting to work in parents, while the questions on acceptable distance to walk or cycle to school showed a moderate to good agreement. The “Family commuting-to-school behaviour” questionnaire could be a useful tool to assess the mode of commuting of children, distance and time to school for researchers and practitioners

Data on clinical characteristics of a heart failure patients’ cohort with reduced ejection fraction and analysis of the circulating values of five different heart failure biomarkers; high sensitivity troponin T, galectin-3, C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, soluble AXL and BNP

AbstractIn this article, the full description of a heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HF_REF) cohort of 192 patients is provided. Tables with the baseline demographic, prior history, ECG parameters, echocardiographic parameters, laboratory values and pharmacological treatment of these patients are included. Also, the quartile values of the analyzed circulating biomarkers: high sensitivity Troponin T (hs-TnT), galectin-3 (Gal-3), C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (CICP), soluble AXL (sAXL) and Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) are given. The main demographic and clinical features of the patients’ subgroups that have hs-TnT, Gal-3, CICP or BNP above the third quartile are described. Tables with Pearson correlation analysis of the HF_REF patients’ biomarker levels are included. And Pearson correlation analysis of the HF_REF patients’ hs-TnT, Gal-3, CICP levels with patients’ biochemical parameters, blood count and inflammation parameters are also described. These data are related to the research articles (AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is increased in patients with heart failure (M. Batlle, P. Recarte-Pelz, E. Roig, M.A. Castel, M. Cardona, M. Farrero, et al., 2014) [1] and Use of serum levels of high sensitivity troponin T, galectin-3 and C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen at long term follow-up in Heart Failure patients with reduced ejection fraction: comparison with soluble AXL and BNP (M. Batlle, B. Campos, M. Farrero, M. Cardona, B. González, M.A. Castel, et al., 2016) [2]