Non-invasive Diagnostic of Helicobacter pylori in Stools by Nested-qPCR

The aim of this study was to develop a non-invasive diagnostic test for the detection of Helicobacter pylori in stool samples from digestive symptomatic patients, using a new protocol of nested-qPCR. A total of 143 patients were invited to participate in the study. A gastric biopsy of each patient was collected for Rapid Urease Testing (RUT) and histology by Giemsa stain. A fecal sample for nested-qPCR analysis was also obtained. DNA was extracted from the fecal samples, and conventional PCR followed by qPCR of the ureC gene of H. pylori was carried out. We evaluated the presence of H. pylori, in 103 females and 40 males, mean (± SD) age of 56.5 ± 14.18. The sensitivity of RUT to detect the infection was 67.0% (95% C.I.: 57.2 – 75.8) and specificity was 92.3% (95% C.I.: 76.5 – 99.1). Histology by Giemsa stain, commonly used as a reference for H. pylori detection, showed a sensitivity of 98.6% (95% C.I.: 92.5 – 100.0) and a specificity of 89.7% (95% C.I.: 72.7 – 97.8). In contrast, detection of H. pylori infection in stools by nested-qPCR showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% C.I.: 94.9 – 100.0) and a specificity of 83.9% (95% C.I.: 66.3 – 94.6). Our test, based in nested-qPCR is a better diagnostic alternative than conventional RUT, and is similar to histology by Giemsa stain in the detection of H. pylori, by which the test could be used for non-invasive diagnosis in clinical practice

Recurrence properties of hypercyclic operators

[EN] We generalize the notions of hypercyclic operators, U-frequently hypercyclic operators and frequently hypercyclic operators by introducing a new concept in linear dynamics, namely A-hypercyclicity. We then state an A-hypercyclicity criterion, inspired by the hypercyclicity criterion and the frequent hypercyclicity criterion, and we show that this criterion characterizes the A-hypercyclicity for weighted shifts. We also investigate which density properties can the sets N(x, U) = {n is an element of N; T-n x is an element of U} have for a given hypercyclic operator, and we study the new notion of reiteratively hypercyclic operators.This work is supported in part by MEC and FEDER, Project MTM2013-47093-P, and by GVA, Projects PROMETEOII/2013/013 and ACOMP/2015/005. The second author was a postdoctoral researcher of the Belgian FNRS.Bès, JP.; Menet, Q.; Peris Manguillot, A.; Puig-De Dios, Y. (2016). Recurrence properties of hypercyclic operators. Mathematische Annalen. 366(1):545-572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-015-1336-3S5455723661Badea, C., Grivaux, S.: Unimodular eigenvalues, uniformly distributed sequences and linear dynamics. Adv. Math. 211, 766–793 (2007)Bayart, F., Grivaux, S.: Frequently hypercyclic operators. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 358, 5083–5117 (2006)Bayart, F., Grivaux, S.: Invariant Gaussian measures for operators on Banach spaces and linear dynamics. Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 94, 181–210 (2007)Bayart, F., Matheron, É.: Dynamics of linear operators, Cambridge Tracts in Mathematics, 179. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2009)Bayart, F., Matheron, É.: (Non-)weakly mixing operators and hypercyclicity sets. Ann. Inst. Fourier 59, 1–35 (2009)Bayart, F., Ruzsa, I.: Difference sets and frequently hypercyclic weighted shifts. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Syst. 35, 691–709 (2015)Bergelson, V.: Ergodic Ramsey Theory- an update, Ergodic Theory of $$\mathbb{Z}^d$$ Z d -actions. Lond. Math. Soc. Lecture Note Ser. 28, 1–61 (1996)Bernal-González, L., Grosse-Erdmann, K.-G.: The Hypercyclicity Criterion for sequences of operators. Studia Math. 157, 17–32 (2003)Bès, J., Peris, A.: Hereditarily hypercyclic operators. J. Funct. Anal. 167, 94–112 (1999)Bonilla, A., Grosse-Erdmann, K.-G.: Frequently hypercyclic operators and vectors. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Syst. 27, 383–404 (2007)Bonilla, A., Grosse-Erdmann, K.-G.: Erratum: Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 29, 1993–1994 (2009)Chan, K., Seceleanu, I.: Hypercyclicity of shifts as a zero-one law of orbital limit points. J. Oper. Theory 67, 257–277 (2012)Costakis, G., Sambarino, M.: Topologically mixing hypercyclic operators. Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 132, 385–389 (2004)Furstenberg, H.: Recurrence in ergodic theory and combinatorial number theory. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1981)Giuliano, R., Grekos, G., Mišík, L.: Open problems on densities II, Diophantine Analysis and Related Fields 2010. AIP Conf. Proc. 1264, 114–128 (2010)Grosse-Erdmann, K.-G.: Hypercyclic and chaotic weighted shifts. Studia Math. 139, 47–68 (2000)Grosse-Erdmann, K.-G., Peris, A.: Frequently dense orbits. C. R. Math. Acad. Sci. Paris 341, 123–128 (2005)Grosse-Erdmann, K.G., Peris, A.: Weakly mixing operators on topological vector spaces, Rev. R. Acad. Cienc. Exactas Fís. Nat. Ser. A Math. RACSAM, 104, 413–426 (2010)Grosse-Erdmann, K.G., Peris Manguillot, A.: Linear chaos, Universitext. Springer, London (2011)Menet, Q.: Linear chaos and frequent hypercyclicity. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. arXiv:1410.7173Puig, Y.: Linear dynamics and recurrence properties defined via essential idempotents of $$\beta {\mathbb{N}}$$ β N (2014) arXiv:1411.7729 (preprint)Salas, H.N.: Hypercyclic weighted shifts. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 347, 993–1004 (1995)Salat, T., Toma, V.: A classical Olivier’s theorem and statistical convergence. Ann. Math. Blaise Pascal 10, 305–313 (2003)Shkarin, S.: On the spectrum of frequently hypercyclic operators. Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 137, 123–134 (2009

Gallstones, Body Mass Index, C-Reactive Protein, and Gallbladder Cancer: Mendelian Randomization Analysis of Chilean and European Genotype Data

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a neglected disease with substantial geographical variability: Chile shows the highest incidence worldwide, while GBC is relatively rare in Europe. Here, we investigate the causal effects of risk factors considered in current GBC prevention programs as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) level as a marker of chronic inflammation. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We applied two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) using publicly available data and our own data from a retrospective Chilean and a prospective European study. Causality was assessed by inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger regression, and weighted median estimates complemented with sensitivity analyses on potential heterogeneity and pleiotropy, two-step MR, and mediation analysis. We found evidence for a causal effect of gallstone disease on GBC risk in Chileans (P = 9 × 10−5) and Europeans (P = 9 × 10−5). A genetically elevated body mass index (BMI) increased GBC risk in Chileans (P = 0.03), while higher CRP concentrations increased GBC risk in Europeans (P = 4.1 × 10−6). European results suggest causal effects of BMI on gallstone disease (P = 0.008); public Chilean data were not, however, available to enable assessment of the mediation effects among causal GBC risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Two risk factors considered in the current Chilean program for GBC prevention are causally linked to GBC risk: gallstones and BMI. For Europeans, BMI showed a causal effect on gallstone risk, which was itself causally linked to GBC risk. (Hepatology 2021;73:1783-1796).Fil: Barahona Ponce, Carol. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; Alemania. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Scherer, Dominique. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; AlemaniaFil: Brinster, Regina. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; AlemaniaFil: Boekstegers, Felix. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; AlemaniaFil: Marcelain, Katherine. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Gárate Calderón, Valentina. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; Alemania. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Müller, Bettina. Instituto Nacional del Cáncer; ChileFil: de Toro, Gonzalo. Hospital Puerto Montt; Chile. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Retamales, Javier. Instituto Nacional del Cáncer; ChileFil: Barajas, Olga. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Ahumada, Monica. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Morales, Erik. Hospital Regional de Talca; Chile. Universidad Católica del Maule; ChileFil: Rojas, Armando. Universidad Católica del Maule; ChileFil: Sanhueza, Verónica. Hospital Padre Hurtado; ChileFil: Loader, Denisse. Hospital Padre Hurtado; ChileFil: Rivera, María Teresa. Hospital del Salvador; ChileFil: Gutiérrez, Lorena. Hospital San Juan de Dios; ChileFil: Bernal, Giuliano. Universidad Católica del Norte; ChileFil: Ortega, Alejandro. Hospital Regional; ChileFil: Montalvo, Domingo. Hospital Regional Juan Noé Crevani; ChileFil: Portiño, Sergio. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Bertrán, Maria Enriqueta. Ministerio de Salud; ChileFil: Gabler, Fernando. Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Hospital Clinico San Borja Arriaran; ChileFil: Spencer, Loreto. Hospital Regional Guillermo Grant Benavente; ChileFil: Olloquequi, Jordi. Universidad Autónoma de Chile; ChileFil: Fischer, Christine. Ruprecht Karls Universitat Heidelberg; AlemaniaFil: Jenab, Mazda. International Agency For Research On Cancer; AlemaniaFil: Aleksandrova, Krasimira. German Institute Of Human Nutrition; AlemaniaFil: Katzke, Verena. German Cancer Research Center; AlemaniaFil: Gonzalez-Jose, Rolando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas; Argentin

Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores

Funder: Funder: Fundación bancaria ‘La Caixa’ Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: Grifols SA Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: European Union/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Number: 115975 Funder: JPco-fuND FP-829-029 Number: 733051061Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer's disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer's disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer's disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer's disease

Fluidez en el mercado laboral: Colombia vs. Estados Unidos

Este producto forma parte de una serie de infografías de divulgación científica que buscan reseñar algunas de las investigaciones más importantes en las que ha tenido participación la Universidad EAFIT, publicadas en las revistas especializadas más prestigiosas del mund

The Helicobacter pylori Genome Project : insights into H. pylori population structure from analysis of a worldwide collection of complete genomes

Helicobacter pylori, a dominant member of the gastric microbiota, shares co-evolutionary history with humans. This has led to the development of genetically distinct H. pylori subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host and with differential gastric disease risk. Here, we provide insights into H. pylori population structure as a part of the Helicobacter pylori Genome Project (HpGP), a multi-disciplinary initiative aimed at elucidating H. pylori pathogenesis and identifying new therapeutic targets. We collected 1011 well-characterized clinical strains from 50 countries and generated high-quality genome sequences. We analysed core genome diversity and population structure of the HpGP dataset and 255 worldwide reference genomes to outline the ancestral contribution to Eurasian, African, and American populations. We found evidence of substantial contribution of population hpNorthAsia and subpopulation hspUral in Northern European H. pylori. The genomes of H. pylori isolated from northern and southern Indigenous Americans differed in that bacteria isolated in northern Indigenous communities were more similar to North Asian H. pylori while the southern had higher relatedness to hpEastAsia. Notably, we also found a highly clonal yet geographically dispersed North American subpopulation, which is negative for the cag pathogenicity island, and present in 7% of sequenced US genomes. We expect the HpGP dataset and the corresponding strains to become a major asset for H. pylori genomics

Common variants in Alzheimer's disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores.

Funder: Funder: Fundación bancaria ‘La Caixa’ Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: Grifols SA Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: European Union/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Number: 115975 Funder: JPco-fuND FP-829-029 Number: 733051061Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer's disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer's disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer's disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer's disease

Multiancestry analysis of the HLA locus in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases uncovers a shared adaptive immune response mediated by HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes

Across multiancestry groups, we analyzed Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associations in over 176,000 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus controls. We demonstrate that the two diseases share the same protective association at the HLA locus. HLA-specific fine-mapping showed that hierarchical protective effects of HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes best accounted for the association, strongest with HLA-DRB1*04:04 and HLA-DRB1*04:07, and intermediary with HLA-DRB1*04:01 and HLA-DRB1*04:03. The same signal was associated with decreased neurofibrillary tangles in postmortem brains and was associated with reduced tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid and to a lower extent with increased Aβ42. Protective HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes strongly bound the aggregation-prone tau PHF6 sequence, however only when acetylated at a lysine (K311), a common posttranslational modification central to tau aggregation. An HLA-DRB1*04-mediated adaptive immune response decreases PD and AD risks, potentially by acting against tau, offering the possibility of therapeutic avenues

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

RESEARCH ARTICLE - Isolation and partial purification of a metabolite from a mutant strain of Bacillus sp. with antibiotic activity against plant pathogenic agents

The use of microorganisms for biological purposes has become an effective alternative to control plant pathogens. There are many examples of formulations using bacterial or fungal strains with biocontrol applications. Among them, members of the genus Bacillus are well known antibiotic producers. However, the increased capacity of antibiotic production obtained by direct mutagenesis of wild strains, has seldom been reported in the open literature. This research refers to the mutation of the A47 Bacillus strain, a plant pathogen antagonist, in order to obtain an improved strain with enhanced capacity to synthesize metabolites with antibiotic activity. The mutant strain M40 was obtained using the mutagenic agent acridine orange. The mutant strain showed a higher antagonistic activity than the wild type A47 against the plant pathogen Botritys cinerea (grey mould), Ralstonia solanacearum (bacterial wilt) and Erwinia carotovora var. carotovora (bacterial soft rot). The final objective was to isolate the antibiotic metabolite produced by the M40 strain and to determine its chemical and antibiotic properties. The results revealed the presence of an extracellular, thermostable and methanol-soluble metabolite that absorbed light at 212nm. These characteristics are similar to those described for cyclic antibiotic lipopeptides such as iturins