Whole Resistome Analysis in Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli Genomes Available in Public Repositories

-Campylobacter spp. are the most frequent agent of human gastroenteritis worldwide, and the spread of multidrug-resistant strains makes the clinical treatment difficult. The current study presents the resistome analysis of 39,798 Campylobacter jejuni and 11,920 Campylobacter coli genomes available in public repositories. Determinants of resistance to β-lactams (Be) and tetracyclines (Te) were the most frequent for both species, with resistance to quinolones (Qu) as the third most important on C. jejuni and to aminoglycosides (Am) on C. coli. Moreover, resistance to Te, Qu, and Am was frequently found in co-occurrence with resistance to other antibiotic families. Geographical differences on clonal complexes distribution were found for C. jejuni and on resistome genotypes for both C. jejuni and C. coli species. Attending to the resistome patterns by isolation source, three main clusters of genomes were found on C. jejuni genomes at antimicrobial resistance gene level. The first cluster was formed by genomes from human, food production animals (e.g., sheep, cow, and chicken), and food (e.g., dairy products) isolates. The higher incidence of tet(O), associated with tetracycline resistance, and the gyrA (T86I) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), associated with quinolone resistance, among genomes from this cluster could be due to the intense use of these antibiotics in veterinary and human clinical settings. Similarly, a high incidence of tet(O) genes of C. coli genomes from pig, cow, and turkey was found. Moreover, the cluster based on resistome patterns formed by C. jejuni and C. coli genomes of human, turkey, and chicken origin is in agreement with previous observations reporting chicken or poultry-related environments as the main source of human campylobacteriosis infections. Most clonal complexes (CCs) associated with chicken host specialization (e.g., ST-354, ST-573, ST-464, and ST-446) were the CCs with the highest prevalence of determinants of resistance to Be, Qu, and Te. Finally, a clear trend toward an increase in the occurrence of Te and Qu resistance determinants on C. jejuni, linked to the spread of the co-occurrence of the bla OXA−61 and tet(O)-tet(O/W/O) genes and the gyrA (T86I) SNP, was found from 2001 to date in Europe.S

Estudio experimental del comportamiento a compresión de hormigones autocompactantes reforzados con fibras de acero = Experimental study of performance self-compacting concrete reinforced with steel fibers

Self-compacting steel fibers reinforced concrete simultaneously has the advantages of self-compacting concrete and reinforced with fibers. A material of high performance in their laying on site, toughness and ductility is achieved. This paper has studied the mechanical behavior of a self-compacting concrete reinforced with steel fibers. Have been made compression tests, as well as non-destructive testing (measuring the speed of ultrasound and sclerometer test). The results show the variation of the response of concrete with time, the difference with the traditional concrete and the feasibility of using non-destructive techniques for controlling this type of concrete

Evolución del coeficiente de Poisson de un hormigón autocompactante reforzado con fibras de acero

En este trabajo se estudia la variación de la edad y el nivel de carga del coeficiente de Poisson de un hormigón autocompactante reforzado con fibras de acero (HACRFA) fabricado por la empresa Lafarge-Holcin

Evolución del módulo de elasticidad de un hormigón autocompactante reforzado con fibras de acero

En este trabajo se han ensayado a compresión hasta rotura probetas de un HACRFA fabricado por Lafarge-Holci

Caracterización mecánica de hormigones autocompactantes reforzados con fibras de acero

El hormigón autocompactante reforzado con fibras de acero presenta simultáneamente las ventajas de los hormigones autocompactantes y de los reforzados con fibras. Se consigue un material de altas prestaciones con mayor tenacidad y ductilidad. En este trabajo se ha estudiado el comportamiento mecánico de un hormigón autocompactante reforzado con fibras de acero. Se han realizado ensayos a compresión, tracción y flexión a distintas edades; así como ensayos no destructivos (medida de la velocidad de ultrasonidos e índice esclerométrico). Los resultados muestran la variación de la respuesta del hormigón con el tiempo y la diferencia existente con hormigones tradicionales

Seagrass Patch Complexity Affects Macroinfaunal Community Structure in Intertidal Areas: An In Situ Experiment Using Seagrass Mimics

[EN] Seagrasses, as key ecosystem engineers in coastal ecosystems, contribute to enhancing diversity in comparison with nearby bare areas. It has been proved mainly for epifauna, but data on infauna are still scarce. The present study addresses how seagrass structural complexity (i.e., canopy properties) affects the diversity of infaunal organisms inhabiting those meadows. Canopy attributes were achieved using seagrass mimics, which were used to construct in situ vegetation patches with two contrasting canopy properties (i.e., shoot density and morphology) resembling the two seagrass species thriving in the inner Cadiz Bay: Zostera noltei and Cymodocea nodosa. After three months, bare nearby areas, two mimicked seagrass patches (‘Zostera’ and ‘Cymodocea’), and the surrounding natural populations of Zostera noltei were sampled in a spatially explicit way. Shifts in organism diets were also determined using15N and13C analyses in available food sources and main infaunal organisms, mixing models, and niche metrics (standard ellipse area). Seagrass-mimicked habitats increased the species richness (two-fold), organism abundance (three to four times), and functional diversity compared with bare nearby areas. The clam Scrobicularia plana (deposit/filter feeder) and the worm Hediste diversicolor (omnivore) were dominant in all of the samples (> 85%) and showed an opposite spatial distribution in the reconstructed patches: whilst S. plana accumulated in the outer-edge parts of the meadow, H. diversicolor abounded in the center. Changes in the isotopic signature of both species depending on the treatment suggest that this faunal distribution was associated with a shift in the diet of the organisms. Based on our results, we concluded that facilitation processes (e.g., reduction in predation and in bioturbation pressures) and changes in food availability (quality and quantity) mediated by seagrass canopies were the main driving forces structuring this community in an intertidal muddy area of low diversitySIThis work was supported by the Spanish Project PAVAROTTI (CTM2017-85365-R) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation and by the Junta de Andalucía Excellence Project PAMBIO (P08-RNM-03783

Measuring HS in Small, Vulnerable Municipalities: A Quantitative Approach

This article presents a methodological proposal for formulating a Human Security Index (HSI), including information from institutional sources and the inhabitants' perception of security. The developed methodology uses quantitative methods to evaluate HS (Human Security) in small municipalities with large rural areas affected by the confluence of different social and economic problems. Given the security conditions in the area, it was impossible to use a random sampling mechanism. Therefore, the data collected have a sample size that cannot be considered significant enough to make inferences using a frequentist statistics approach. The method to construct the index is illustrated using Miranda's data, a Colombian municipality exposed to decades of armed conflict. With the answers given by 55 interviewees to questions related to the armed conflict such as presence-absence reminders and retained values of violent events, a proposal of 36 indices was made, and two of them were selected for the study, following some statistical criteria. In the construction of one of these selected indices, we used information from binary variables and, for the other index, we used information from count data. The values obtained by both indices for the municipality of Miranda were, respectively, 46.4 and 35.8. According to HS experts, both values can be considered moderate levels in the perception of insecurity by residents of the municipality

La superación profesional para los profesores de Tecnología de la Salud desde un enfoque histórico cultural

La preparación del profesor de las carreras de las Ciencias Médicas para el desempeño de la función docente constituye una de las principales metas a lograr desde la superación profesional. No obstante, a partir de la práctica pedagógica, la observación y la experiencia profesional del investigador se ha constatado la carencia de acciones coherentes de superación para conducir la preparación de los profesores sobre la Metodología de la Investigación. En tal sentido, mediante una minuciosa revisión documental, el artículo reflexiona desde el enfoque histórico cultural acerca de la superación profesional, para el perfeccionamiento de la preparación de los docentes de Tecnología de la Salud en las Ciencias Médicas de Ciego de Ávila

Design of beams and slabs of self-compacting concrete fittings working to flexion

Numerous experimental studies indicate that addition of fibers substantially increases the shear strength of concrete and mortar beams, and that stirrups and reinforcing fibers combination can be really effective. When steel fibers are used as a supplement or substitute for vertical stirrups or folded bars, we obtain the following characteristics: The fibers are distributed randomly by the volume of the concrete with a closer separation than can be achieved with the Armor; The tensile strength at first crack, the ultimate tensile strength and the shear friction resistance are increased

Evidence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes from the microbiome mapping in minimally processed vegetables producing facilities

Daily consumption of fresh vegetables is highly recommended by international health organizations, because of their high content of nutrients. However, fresh vegetables might harbour several pathogenic microorganisms or contribute to spread antibiotic resistance, thus representing a hazard for consumers. In addition, little is known about the transmission routes of the residential microbiome from the food handling environment to vegetables. Therefore, we collected environmental and food samples from three manufactures producing fresh vegetables to estimate the relevance of the built environment microbiome on that of the finished products. Our results show that food contact surfaces sampled after routine cleaning and disinfection procedures host a highly diverse microbiome, including pathogens such as the enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus sensu stricto. In addition, we provide evidence of the presence of a wide range of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes on food contact surfaces associated with multiple taxa, thus supporting the hypothesis that selection of resistant and pathogenic taxa might occur on sanitized surfaces. This study also highlights the potential of microbiome mapping routinely applied in food industries monitoring programs to ensure food safety