Fungal and Bacterial Loads: Noninvasive Inflammatory Bowel Disease Biomarkers for the Clinical Setting

Malaltia inflamatòria intestinal; Càrrega microbiana; PrediccióEnfermedad inflamatoria intestinal; Carga microbiana; PredicciónInflammatory bowel disease; Microbial load; PredictionMicrobiome sequence data have been used to characterize Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Based on these data, we have previously identified microbiomarkers at the genus level to predict CD and CD relapse. However, microbial load was underexplored as a potential biomarker in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here, we sought to study the use of fungal and bacterial loads as biomarkers to detect both CD and UC and CD and UC relapse. We analyzed the fecal fungal and bacterial loads of 294 stool samples obtained from 206 participants using real-time PCR amplification of the ITS2 region and the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. We combined the microbial data with demographic and standard laboratory data to diagnose ileal or ileocolonic CD and UC and predict disease relapse using the random forest algorithm. Fungal and bacterial loads were significantly different between healthy relatives of IBD patients and nonrelated healthy controls, between CD and UC patients in endoscopic remission, and between UC patients in relapse and non-UC individuals. Microbial load data combined with demographic and standard laboratory data improved the performance of the random forest models by 18%, reaching an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.842 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65 to 0.98), for IBD diagnosis and enhanced CD and UC discrimination and CD and UC relapse prediction. Our findings show that fecal fungal and bacterial loads could provide physicians with a noninvasive tool to discriminate disease subtypes or to predict disease flare in the clinical setting. IMPORTANCE Next-generation sequence data analysis has allowed a better understanding of the pathophysiology of IBD, relating microbiome composition and functions to the disease. Microbiome composition profiling may provide efficient diagnosis and prognosis tools in IBD. However, the bacterial and fungal loads of the fecal microbiota are underexplored as potential biomarkers of IBD. Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have higher fecal fungal and bacterial loads than patients with ileal or ileocolonic CD. CD patients who relapsed harbor more-unstable fungal and bacterial loads than those of relapsed UC patients. Fecal fungal and bacterial load data improved prediction performance by 18% for IBD diagnosis based solely on clinical data and enhanced CD and UC discrimination and prediction of CD and UC relapse. Combined with existing laboratory biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein (CRP), microbial loads may improve the diagnostic accuracy of IBD and of ileal CD and UC disease activity and prediction of UC and ileal CD clinical relapse.This work was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant PI17/00614, cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by the PERIS (SLT002/16). F. Casellas has received research funding from AbbVie, Ferring, MSD, Shire, and Zambon and speaker fees from AbbVie, Chiesi, Ferring, Gebro, MSD, Shire, Takeda, and Zambon. S. Vermeire has received grant support from AbbVie, MSD, Pfizer, J&J, and Takeda; received speaker fees from AbbVie, MSD, Takeda, Ferring, Dr. Falk Pharma, Hospira, Pfizer Inc., and Tillots; and served as a consultant for AbbVie, MSD, Takeda, Ferring, Genentech/Roche, Robarts clinical trials, Gilead, Celgene, Prometheus, Avaxia, Prodigest, Shire, Pfizer Inc, Galapagos, Mundipharma, Hospira, Celgene, Second Genome, and Janssen. C. Manichanh has received financial support for research from Danone

Multidisciplinary, evidence-based consensus guidelines for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in highrisk populations, Spain, 2016

Introduction: Although human papillomavirus (HPV) routine vaccination programmes have been implemented around the world and recommendations have been expanded to include other high-risk individuals, current recommendations often differ between countries in Europe, as well as worldwide. Aim: To find and summarise the best available evidence of HPV vaccination in high-risk patients aiding clinicians and public health workers in the day-to-day vaccine decisions relating to HPV in Spain. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the immunogenicity, safety and efficacy/effectiveness of HPV vaccination in high-risk populations between January 2006 and June 2016. HPV vaccination recommendations were established with levels of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: A strong recommendation about HPV vaccination was made in the following groups: HIV infected patients aged 9-26 years; men who have sex with men aged 9-26 years; women with precancerous cervical lesions; patients with congenital bone marrow failure syndrome; women who have received a solid organ transplant or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation aged 9-26 years; and patients diagnosed with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Conclusions: Data concerning non-routine HPV vaccination in populations with a high risk of HPV infection and associated lesions were scarce. We have developed a document to evaluate and establish evidence- based guidelines on HPV vaccination in highrisk populations in Spain, based on best available scientific evidence

Factors influencing brightness and beam quality of conventional and distributed Bragg reflector tapered laser diodes in absence of self-heating

In this study, the authors examine some of the factors affecting the brightness and the beam quality of high-power tapered lasers. The large volume resonators required to achieve a high-power, high-brightness operation make the beam quality sensitive to carrier lensing and a multimode operation. These cause bleaching of the regions outside the ridge waveguide. The beam quality in the conventional and the distributed Bragg reflector tapered lasers is examined in the absence of the self-heating effects to investigate the effect of the carrier lensing effects. The influence of the front facet reflectivity and the taper angle on the beam quality is investigated. The beam quality was found to degrade with an increase in the front facet reflectivity and for the larger taper angles in the conventional tapered lasers, especially at low ridge waveguide currents. Finally, the performance of the conventional tapered lasers employing a beamspoiler was assessed. The beam quality was found to be comparable with that achieved in the DBR tapered lasers

The Anisian continental-marine transition in Sardinia (Italy): state of the art, new palynological data and regional chronostratigraphic correlation

The scarce evidence of paleontological records between the upper Permian and the Anisian (Middle Triassic) of Western Europe could reflect (1) large stratigraphic gaps in the continental successions and/or (2) the persistence of disturbed conditions after the Permian–Triassic Boundary extinction event and the succession of ecological crises that occurred during the Early Triassic. In this context, the study of palynological associations, integrated with the stratigraphical and sedimentological data, plays a key role in dating and correlating the successions of the Western European domain and improves our understanding of environmental and paleoclimatic conditions. In some cases, pre-Anisian paleontological evidence is lacking, as in Sardinia (Italy), where a long gap encompasses the middle Permian (pars) to late Lower Triassic successions. Although fragmented and disseminated, the continental Lower-Middle Triassic sedimentary successions (Buntsandstein) of Sardinia have proved crucial to our understanding of the evolution of the southern edge of the Paleo-Europe and the different timings of the Tethys transgression (Muschelkalk facies) in some of these areas. Various paleogeographic reconstructions were attempted in previous works, without providing any consensus on the precise position of Sardinia and its surrounding seaways in the Western Tethys domain during this time interval. At present, the configuration and distribution of the subsiding and emerging landmasses and the temporal development of the transgressions of the Western Tethys during the Middle Triassic remain unclear. This work focuses on the stratigraphical, sedimentological and palynological aspects of three Middle Triassic continental-marine sedimentary successions in Sardinia, with particular attention to the analysis of the palynological associations sampled there, and it also provides a detailed review of all previous palynological publications on the Sardinian Anisian. The studied successions are: Su Passu Malu section (Campumari, SW Sardinia), Arcu is Fronestas section and Escalaplano section (Escalaplano, Central Sardinia). These sections were also correlated to other significant sections in the SW (Scivu Is Arenas) and NW (Nurra) parts of the island

Bifidobacterium infantis strains with and without a combination of Oligofructose and Inulin (OFI) attenuate inflammation in DSS-induced colitis in rats

BACKGROUND: Pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease is thought to be through different factors and there is a relationship between the gut flora and the risk of its development. Probiotics can manipulate the microflora in chronic inflammation and may be effective in treating inflammation. Bifidobacterium are saccharolytic and their growth in the gut can be promoted by non-absorbable carbohydrates and its increase in the colon appears to be of benefit. METHODS: Oligofructose and inulin (OFI) alone and the two B. infantis DSM 15158 and DSM 15159 with and without OFI, were fed to Sprague-Dawley rats for 7 days prior to colitis induction and administrations continued for another 7 days with the DSS. Colitis severity assessed using a Disease Activity Index. Samples were collected 7 days after colitis induction, for intestinal bacterial flora, bacterial translocation, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), myeloperoxidase (MPO), cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β) and malondialdehyde (MDA). RESULTS: OFI alone or the B. infantis strains with and without OFI improved significantly the DAI and decreased colonic MPO activity. Colonic tissue IL-1β decreased significantly in all treated groups except B. infantis DSM 15158. MDA decreased significantly in B. infantis DSM 15159 with and without OFI compared to colitis control. Succinic acid increased significantly in OFI group with and without DSM 15159 compared to all groups. Sum values of propionic, succinic acid and butyric acid increased significantly in all groups compare to the colitis control. Bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes decreased significantly in all groups compared to colitis control. Translocation to the liver decreased significantly in all groups compare to the colitis control and OFI + B. infantis DSM 15158 groups. CONCLUSION: Administrations of OFI and Bifidobacterium improve DSS-induced acute colitis and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Major differences in effect were observed between the two B. infantis strains as indicated in MDA and succinic acid concentration as well as bacterial translocation rate in synbiotic combinations

Propiedades magnéticas de sedimentos del Lago de Sanabria y su área fuente (NO España): implicaciones paleoambientales

El estudio preliminar de las propiedades magnéticas de los sedimentos recientes (Pleistoceno superior-Holoceno) acumulados en el Lago de Sanabria (Zamora, NO de España) y de las principales litologías que afloran en su área fuente han permitido diferenciar dos unidades en los sedimentos lacustres. La unidad basal, acumulada en un medio proglaciar entre 25.6 y 12.2 kyr BP, se caracteriza por unas propiedades magnéticas muy similares a las de las litologías del área fuente. La presencia de magnetita y pirrotina en los sedimentos lacustres y en la mayoría de las litologías del área fuente sugiere una sedimentación causada principalmente por la erosión de una harina glaciar. El resto de la secuenci a lacustre, acumulada durante los últimos 12.2 kyr BP , presenta unas propiedades magnéticas claramente diferentes que sugieren la intervención tanto de procesos edáficos previos a la erosión del material d el área fuente como a cambios diagenéticos ocurridos con posterioridad a su acumulación en el lago. Este brusco cambio en las propiedades magnéticas de los sedimentos lacustres en torno a 12.2 kyr BP corrobora la rápida retirada de los aparatos glaciares de la cuenca hidrográfica del Lago de Sanabria inferida por otros autores en base a datos sedimentológicos, geoquímicos y geomorfológicos.Peer reviewe

ACTA HORTICULTURAE

Fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora was first identified in Spain in late summer 1995 in a field survey in Gipuzkoa (Euzkadi). The disease was found in a cider apple orchard close to the Atlantic French border. After discovering the first outbreak, nurseries and orchards were more closely surveyed in all Spanish regions. Plants with symptoms were analysed by isolation, enrichment-DASI ELISA and PCR. During these surveys several new outbreaks were discovered in Gipuzkoa (Euzkadi) in 1996 and 1997 and in Navarra, a region located beside the first outbreak. Apple and pear orchards, quince, loquats and ornamental hosts were found infected. In 1996 fire blight was found in Crataegus plants in a nursery located in Segovia (Castilla-Leon) and eradicated. No relation with the previous outbreaks was found and the plants infected came from importation. In 1998 the disease was detected in another nursery in Guadalajara (Castilla-La Mancha), which imported plants in 1996 from the same origin. Another outbreak was found in a few pear orchards in Lleida (Catalunya), the same year and eradication measures were also taken. In spite of intensive surveys carried out in other Spanish regions, no new outbreaks of the disease were found. Fire blight is not yet widespread in Spain and several measures have been taken for eradication in the different areas, according to each situation. Comparison of Spanish isolates with other European strains using biochemical tests, serological techniques, PCR and inoculation in pear fruits and shoots confirmed the identification

Imaging of spontaneous emission from 980 nm tapered lasers with windowed N-contacts

Experimental measurements of the spatial distribution of the spontaneous emission produced inside the cavity of a 4° 980 nm tapered laser are presented and compared with the results of a 2.5 D half-space, hot-cavity simulation. A custom device with a windowed n-contact was designed and fabricated for this work. The effectiveness of this windowed contact was investigated and appears to be satisfactory. The measurement system for photo- and electroluminescence microscopy imaging was quantitatively calibrated with an error of < ±15%. Good agreement between the experimental and simulated results are presented, with an error of ~ 6% in the carrier density at the output facet