Rethinking the Xylella fastidiosa scenario in the Balearic Islands: what epidemiological, phylogenetic and dendrochronological data tell us

Trabajo presentado en la 2nd European conference on Xylella fastidiosa (how research can support solutions), celebrada en Ajaccio el 29 y 30 de octubre de 2019.The emergence of Xylella fastidiosa(Xf) in Europe has been dealt as relatively recent introductions from the American continent. While this seems accurate for highly virulent genotypes such as thestrain currently causing the quick olive decline syndrome in Apulia since ca. 2013, less virulent Xf genotypes might have gone undetected for a long time, being confused with drought or fungal disease symptoms under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Indeed, the current widespread incidence and severity of the Pierce’s disease (PD) and Almond Leaf Scorch Disease (ALSD) in Mallorca Island can only be understood in this context of a 20-year introduction scenario. Our current epidemiological, phylogenetic anddendrochronological data onXf strains belonging to subsp. fastidiosaST1, and Xf subsp. multiplexST81, causing Pierce’s disease (PD) and ALSD, respectively, strongly suggest that they were overlooked for decades. Both subspecies were very likely transported from California to Mallorca with infected almond scions around 1995 and subsequently spread throughout the island by the local vector Philaenus spumarius. Our phylogenetic analysis based on WGS of isolates of both subspecies from Mallorca supports their Californian origin. Congruent with this, Xf DNA was consistently detected in the growing rings of infected almond trees from 2006 to the present and occasionally as far back as 1998. In the main focus in Son Carrió more than 50% of the almond trees diedand 90% of trees showed symptoms compatible with ALSD in 2012, but the aetiology of this problem was attributed to fungal trunk diseases, drought or field abandonment. We hypothesise that during the last 20 years, Xf subsp. multiplexST81 isolates have adapted to wild olive trees, widespread on the island, causing a mild dieback, and later on reaching the island of Menorca very likely on infected P. spumariustransported as a hitchhiker on ships moving between the islands.This research was funded by project E-RTA2017-00004-C06 from AEI-INIA Spain and FEDER and received financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Food (Dirección General de la Sanidad de la Producción Agrària) of Spain and from ‘Govern de les Illes Balears’

Light-responsive bent-core liquid crystals as candidates for energy conversion and storage

IDC would like to thank the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), for the FPI grant (PAID-2019-SP20190013), the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) and the European Social Fund (ESF), for the FPI grant (ACIF/2020/233) and the mobility grant (CIBEFP/2021/53). NFKA would like to thank Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for sponsoring her academic sabbatical leave and allowing her to work on this project. AMF would like to thank the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, for the Research Incentive Grant RIG008586, the Royal Society and Specac Ltd., for the Research Grant RGS\R1\201397, the Royal Society of Chemistry for the award of a mobility grant (M19- 0000), and the Scottish Government and the Royal Society of Edinburgh for the award of a SAPHIRE project. The authors from INMA greatly appreciate financial support from projects of the Spanish Government PGC2018-093761-B-C31 [MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE] and the Gobierno de Aragón/FEDER (research group E47_20R). Thanks are given to the nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis services of the INMA (Univ. Zaragoza-CSIC)Peer reviewedPostprin

Perfil de salud y diagnósticos de enfermería en la población de atención domiciliaria del Área Básica de Salud de Castellar del Vallès

The increasing growth of life expectancy in western societies brings along higher rates of chronic, limiting and invalidating diseases. Amongst these services being offered to the dependent elder, the ATDOM program is intended to provide health support for elders at home. The project was first developed to assess the health characteristics for patients included in ATDOM program. To reach that objective a Descriptive study was developed. The study population were the 87 patients included in the ATDOM program at the Community Health Care Center of Castellar del Vallès. Measurement instruments used for assessing some of the main variables were Barthel scale, Braden scale and Zarit test. NANDA classification was used to identify Nursing diagnoses. Average age of our population was 82’90 years, 35’6% of them being male and 64’4% female. 98’9% of these patients reported having an identified caregiver. Average age of caregivers was 62’94, 82’6% being women. 21’8% of patients presented with severe or total dependence levels. 26’1% of caregivers reported being overloaded by caregiving burden. Only 1’4% had high risk of having bedsore. Most prevailing nursing diagnoses were related to skin injury and difficulties with physical mobility as well as to lack of autonomy on daily living activities.El progresivo envejecimiento de las sociedades occidentales comporta un incremento de la morbilidad crónica, degenerativa e incapacitante, y, en consecuencia, el grado de dependencia. Uno de los recursos de atención en la población envejecida más importante es el Programa de Atención Domiciliaria (ATDOM), uno de los niveles de atención sanitaria más próximo a la gente mayor. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer el perfil de salud de la población incluida en el programa de Atención Domiciliaria del Área Básica de Salud (ABS) Castellar del Vallès. Para ello se diseñó un estudio descriptivo transversal, cuya población del estudio fueron los 87 pacientes incluidos en el programa ATDOM del Área Básica Salud (ABS) Castellar del Vallès. Para la recogida de datos se utilizaron la escala de Barthel, la escala de Braden-Bergstrom, el cuestionario Zarit y diagnósticos de enfermería NANDA. La edad media de la población es de 82,90 años con un 35, 6% de hombres y un 64,4% de mujeres. El 98,9% de estos pacientes tienen cuidador. El 82,6% de cuidadores son mujeres. El 21,8% de los pacientes presentaban dependencia severa o total según la escala de Barthel. Según el test de Zarit el 26,1 % de los cuidadores presenta sobrecarga intensa. Respecto a la escala de Braden-Bergstrom solo un 1,4% presenta alto riesgo de úlceras por presión. Los diagnósticos de enfermería más prevalentes son los relacionados con el deterioro de la movilidad y la dependencia en la realización de las actividades básicas de la vida diaria y el deterioro de la integridad cutánea

“HEPARJOC-ACTÚA”: Herramienta educativa creada a través de un proceso de investigación-acción participativa con colectivos inmigrantes vulnerables para mejorar la accesibilidad al diagnóstico de la hepatitis b

Background: The World Health Organization estimates that 257 million people suffer from chronic infection by the hepatitis B (HB) virus. It is common for diagnosis to be delayed or never given at all. In Spain, immigrants that come from endemic areas present a prevalence of infection of around 8%. In the year 2015, this study was begun with the aiml of improving accessibility to hepatitis B diagnoses in immigrant communities. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was carried out, based on participatory action research (IAP). It was divided into two cycles: in the first cycle, after forming a motor group (GIAP), a participatory community assessment (DCP) was performed with the population, through a descriptiveinterpretative qualitative study (ECDI) with 3 focal groups (n=17). A narrative analysis was then performed of thematic content. In the second cycle, two collaborative workshops (coworking) were held to create an educational tool (HEPARJOC) and to co-create an action plan (PDA). As a pilot test, the PDA was put into practice through eight workshops (n=56). A knowledge questionnaire was used to compare the median number of correct responses before and after the workshop, using the t of Student for paired data. Results: A GIAP was formed with 8 members of different sectors and community spaces. In the DCP it was observed that there was a lack of knowledge about different aspects of hepatitis B. Visual, interactive materials were proposed as educational tools, and “HEPARJOC” was created as the final product. In the pilot test of the PDA, the median of correct responses to the knowledge questionnaire about HB was 7.7 (DE=3) before the workshop, and 10.6 (DE=0.2) afterward. The improvement of the median was 2.9 points (IC 95% 2.2- 3.6), which is statistically significant (p<0.001). 30 people sought screening (53.6% of participants), and 23 of those people were screened (41% of participants). Conclusions: “HEPARJOC-ACTUA” is a strategy that could contribute to transforming knowledge and improving accessibility to hepatitis B diagnosis in immigrant communities. Key words: Infectious diseases, hepatitis B, community health, community health agents, health education, participatory action research, immigration.Introducción: La Organización Mundial de la Salud estima que 257 millones de personas padecen infección crónica por el virus de la hepatitis B (HB). Es habitual que el diagnóstico se retrase o que nunca se llegue a realizar. En España, los inmigrantes procedentes de áreas endémicas presentan prevalencias en torno al 8%. En el año 2015, se inició este estudio con el objetivo de mejorar la accesibilidad al diagnóstico de la hepatitis B en colectivos inmigrantes. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo descriptivo, basado en la investigación acción participativa (IAP). Se dividió en dos ciclos: en el primer ciclo, después de configurar un grupo motor (GIAP), se realizó un diagnóstico comunitario participativo (DCP) con la población, a través de un estudio cualitativo descriptivo-interpretativo (ECDI) con 3 grupos focales (n=17). Se llevó a cabo un análisis narrativo de contenido temático. En el segundo ciclo, se realizaron 2 talleres de trabajo colaborativo (coworking) para crear una herramienta educativa (HEPAJOC) y coconstruir un plan de acción (PDA). Como prueba piloto se llevó a cabo este PDA a través 8 talleres (n=56). Se utilizó un cuestionario de conocimientos para comparar la media de respuestas correctas pre y post taller utilizando el t de Student para datos apareados. Resultados: Se configuró un GIAP con 8 miembros de diferentes sectores y espacios comunitarios. En el DCP se observó que existía un desconocimiento en diferentes aspectos sobre la hepatitis B. Se propusieron, como herramientas educativas, materiales visuales e interactivos, elaborando como producto final el “HEPARJOC”. En la prueba piloto del PDA, la media de las respuestas correctas al cuestionario de conocimientos sobre la HB fue de 7,7 (DE=3) previamente, y de 10,6 (DE=0,2) posteriormente. La mejoría de la media fue de 2,9 puntos (IC 95% 2,2-3,6), siendo estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001). Solicitaron el cribado 30 personas (53,6%), siendo cribadas 23 (41%). Conclusiones: “HEPARJOC-ACTUA” es una estrategia que puede contribuir a transformar conocimientos y a mejorar la accesibilidad al diagnóstico de la hepatitis B en colectivos inmigrantes

Insights into the epidemiology of Pierce's disease in vineyards of Mallorca, Spain

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD), has long been considered a major threat to prosperous European viticulture. In May of 2017, PD was officially detected on a grapevine in Mallorca. To better understand the epidemiology of the first established outbreak of PD in Europe, the disease incidence and severity were assessed, vector transmission experiments were performed, and cultivar responses to Xf infections both in the field and in inoculation experiments were monitored. The genetic structure of Xf local populations was also investigated by multilocus sequence typing analysis, and their whole genome sequences and phylogenetic positions compared with respect to PD strains worldwide. Disease incidence was moderately low (0.07) and highly variable, ranging from 0.0 to 0.99. Its economic impact on wine production was considered low. Vineyards managed under conventional viticulture were significantly less infected than organic farming. Under greenhouse conditions, the insect Philaenus spumarius efficiently transmitted the pathogen from infected to healthy grapevines. In the inoculation experiments, Xf infected, to some degree, 29 of the 30 cultivar × rootstock combinations (n = 239). Cultivars Viura, Gorgollasa and Sauvignon Blanc were the most susceptible ones. All Xf isolates from grapevines belonged to sequence type ST1; they phylogenetically clustered within the Californian ST1 clade, with which they shared a 99.94% identity and the same plasmid. In addition, ST1 caused almond leaf scorch disease, where notably its incidence (0.78) and severity was much higher than PD. The likely reasons for these wide differences are discussed in the context of a 20‐year Xf introduction scenario.This research received financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Food (Dirección General de la Sanidad de la Producción Agraria) of Spain and from ‘Govern de les Illes Balears’. Part of this work was also supported by funds from the Obra Social ‘La Caixa’, Projects E‐RTA2017‐00004‐C06‐02 and E‐RTA2017‐00004‐C06‐04; Programa Estatal de I+D Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad from the Spanish Government and the Spanish State Research Agency; and Project XF‐ACTORS‐ (Oriented Research Strategy; grant 727987) from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Research Programme.Peer reviewe

Improving Xylella sampling in Mallorca

Trabajo presentado en la 2nd European conference on Xylella fastidiosa (how research can support solutions), celebrada en Ajaccio el 29 y 30 de octubre de 2019.Xylella fastidiosawas detected in Majorca in late 2016 (Olmo et al. 2017). Since then, accomplishing EU regulatory, a huge number of samples have been analysed. Poster sessions71| P a g eParticularly, the Mallorca outbreak is different to others in Europe, because of the coexistence of subspecies multiplex(ST81, ST7) in almond trees, olive trees and other species, and subspecies fastidiosa(ST1) in almond trees and grapevine plants among others.As alreadyknown, detection tests of X. fastidiosaare conditioned by the sampling date. However, it is not well known if the optimal dates for sampling are the same for all host species, if it is viable to pool several samples, or if the bacterium can be detected in old wood samples.In this study, we have focused the X. fastidiosamonitoring on almond, grapevines and olive trees. Monthly percentages of positives and average Ct value of more than 2,000 analyses of each of these crops were compared. Overall, we observed that for almond trees the best results were obtained from samples collected from June to August, whereas in grapevine the optimum period was from August to October. In olive trees early spring resulted in the most favourable time for detection, with an increase in Ct and decrease of positive cases in summer.In the assays conducted with pooled almond leaf samples, mixing one infected plant extract with the same volume of up to four negative extracts, showed an average Ct increase of 2.7 cycles, whereas for olive and grapevine samples the Ct increase was > 4 cycles.By default, X. fastidiosais normally analysed in leaf midribs and petioles. We also tested the potential use of wood samples from trunks,sampling different tree rings. Although this sampling procedure is not recommended for routine surveys, it allowed us to establish a potential infection chronology of the number of years since the first infection might have occuredin the Balearic Islands.Study supported by Project E-RTA2017-00004-C06-02 from AEI-INIA Spain and FEDER and the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional

Phylogenetic inference enables reconstruction of a long-overlooked outbreak of almond leaf scorch disease (Xylella fastidiosa) in Europe

The recent introductions of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) into Europe are linked to the international plant trade. However, both how and when these entries occurred remains poorly understood. Here, we show how almond scorch leaf disease, which affects ~79% of almond trees in Majorca (Spain) and was previously attributed to fungal pathogens, was in fact triggered by the introduction of Xf around 1993 and subsequently spread to grapevines (Pierceʼs disease). We reconstructed the progression of almond leaf scorch disease by using broad phylogenetic evidence supported by epidemiological data. Bayesian phylogenetic inference predicted that both Xf subspecies found in Majorca, fastidiosa ST1 (95% highest posterior density, HPD: 1990–1997) and multiplex ST81 (95% HPD: 1991–1998), shared their most recent common ancestors with Californian Xf populations associated with almonds and grapevines. Consistent with this chronology, Xf-DNA infections were identified in tree rings dating to 1998. Our findings uncover a previously unknown scenario in Europe and reveal how Pierce’s disease reached the continent.This work was partially funded by projects XF-ACTORS (Xylella fastidiosa Active Containment Through a Multidisciplinary-Oriented Research Strategy; grant 727987 from European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Research Programme) and ERTA2017-00004-02 and E-RTA2017-00004-04 (Desarrollo de estrategias de erradicación, contención y control de X. fastidiosa en España) from ‘Programa Estatal de I + D + I Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad of the Spanish Government’ and FEDER) and from the Organización Profesional del Aceite de Oliva Español’. M.P.V-A. was recipient of a PhD fellowship from Intramural Project 201840E111from CSIC. A.B. was recipient of a postdoctoral UIB contract funded by the Vicerectorado de Investigación e Internacionalización of the University of the Balearic Islands

Landscape Epidemiology of Xylella fastidiosa in the Balearic Islands

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf ) is a vascular plant pathogen native to the Americas. In 2013, it was first reported in Europe, implicated in a massive die-off of olive trees in Apulia, Italy. This finding prompted mandatory surveys across Europe, successively revealing that the bacterium was already established in some distant areas of the western Mediterranean. To date, the Balearic Islands (Spain) hold the major known genetic diversity of Xf in Europe. Since October 2016, four sequence types (ST) belonging to the subspecies fastidiosa (ST1), multiplex (ST7, ST81), and pauca (ST80) have been identified infecting 28 host species, including grapevines, almond, olive, and fig trees. ST1 causes Pierce’s disease (PD) and together with ST81 are responsible for almond leaf scorch disease (ALSD) in California, from where they were introduced into Mallorca in around 1993, very likely via infected almond scions brought for grafting. To date, almond leaf scorch disease affects over 81% of almond trees and Pierce’s disease is widespread in vineyards across Mallorca, although producing on average little economic impact. In this perspective, we present and analyze a large Xf -hosts database accumulated over four years of field surveys, laboratory sample analyses, and research to understand the underlying causes of Xf emergence and spread among crops and wild plants in the Balearic Islands. The impact of Xf on the landscape is discussed

Impact of mutational studies on the diagnosis and the outcome of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and secondary acute myeloid leukemia patients treated with 5-azacytidine

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are stem cell disorders caused by various gene abnormalities. We performed targeted deep sequencing in 39 patients with high-risk MDS and secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) at diagnosis and follow-up (response and/or relapse), with the aim to define their mutational status, to establish if specific mutations are biomarkers of response to 5-azacytidine (AZA) and/or may have impact on survival. Overall, 95% of patients harbored at least one mutation. TP53, DNMT3A and SRSF2 were the most frequently altered genes. Mutations in TP53 correlated with higher risk features and shorter overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in univariate analysis. Patients with SRSF2 mutations were associated with better OS and PFS. Response rate was 55%; but we could not correlate the presence of TET2 and TP53 mutations with AZA response. Patients with sAML presented more variations than patients with high-risk MDS, and usually at relapse the number of mutations increased, supporting the idea that in advanced stages of the disease there is a greater genomic complexity. These results confirm that mutation analysis can add prognostic value to high-risk MDS and sAML patients, not only at diagnosis but also at follow-up