Agrupación de las universidades españolas en la prensa impresa nacional

Scientific and social activities from the academic world are frequently reflected in media outlets at a local, regional, national or international level, based on the interest of the news item and its target audience. Traditionally, universities have been mapped by measuring common areas such as scientific output. The current study proposes a visualization of similarities among Spanish universities through their presence in the national, regional and local press. To this end, we analyze the news published in the print media during September and October 2014 and retrieved from MyNews Online, which amounted to 27,170 news items. The results show how the geographic component is the main binding element of universities when their news are analyzed. This indicates that Spanish universities’ brands usually have a strong regional character.Las universidades reflejan parte de su actividad científica y social en los medios de comunicación, y lo hacen a nivel local, regional, nacional o internacional, según sea el interés de la noticia y el target de esta. Tradicionalmente se han hecho mapas de universidades midiendo aspectos comunes como la producción científica. En este caso se propone visualizar cómo las universidades españolas se parecen entre sí a través de su presencia en las cabeceras de prensa nacional, regional y local. Para ello, se analizan las noticias publicadas en medios impresos españoles en septiembre y octubre de 2014, recuperadas usando MyNews Online, lo que supone 27.170 noticias. Los resultados muestran cómo es el componente geográfico el principal aglutinador de las universidades si se analizan sus noticias. Esto indica, entre otros aspectos, el carácter regional en la difusión de las marcas de las universidades españolas

Potential postbiotic activities of extracellular products of probiotic bacteria from gilthead seabream gastrointestinal tract

Probiotics have been established as a potential tool for improving gut health and environmental quality in aquaculture. However, recent evidence suggests that bacterial viability is not necessary to attain the beneficial-promoting effects. In this way, postbiotics have emerged providing a potential opportunity in the field of functional foods. They are soluble factors resulting from the metabolic activity of a probiotic or any released molecule, including short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, extracellular products, etc. that can have interesting properties inducing biological responses on health similar to probiotics while avoiding the administration of live microorganisms. Interestingly, its production can be affected by different factors such as the components of the culture media among others. Information on this type of postbiotic activities is very scarce, especially in the case of aquaculture, so the evaluation of the nutraceutical use of postbiotics to improve health management in fish and other cultivated aquatic organisms is an emerging area of research in aquaculture. In a previous work, we characterized four potential probiotics that were isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Sparus aurata specimens fed with a diet containing a blend of microalgae. This diet involves a selection pressure on the intestinal microbiota of the fish that will be used to achieve enrichment in bacteria with a set of extracellular enzymatic activities capable of metabolizing and mobilizing the components of the diet enriched with microalgae. Here, we investigate the postbiotic potential of the extracellular products (ECPs) obtained from the four candidate probiotics grown on different microalgae-supplemented medium, and evaluate its enzymatic and antibacterial activity, and its cytotoxicity against the SAF-1 cell line. Our objective is to select different ECPs with a variety of activities that help the digestive process of seabream, with the aim to be included in aquafeeds.This work was funded by Junta de Andalucía (grant no. P20_00085) and co-financed by FEDER funds

Foodborne Origin and Local and Global Spread of Staphylococcus saprophyticus Causing Human Urinary Tract Infections

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a primary cause of community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) in young women. S. saprophyticus colonizes humans and animals but basic features of its molecular epidemiology are undetermined. We conducted a phylogenomic analysis of 321 S. saprophyticus isolates collected from human UTIs worldwide during 1997-2017 and 232 isolates from human UTIs and the pig-processing chain in a confined region during 2016-2017. We found epidemiologic and genomic evidence that the meat-production chain is a major source of S. saprophyticus causing human UTIs; human microbiota is another possible origin. Pathogenic S. saprophyticus belonged to 2 lineages with distinctive generic features that are globally and locally disseminated. Pangenome-wide approaches identified a strong association between pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance, phages, platelet binding proteins, and an increased recombination rate. Our study provides insight into the origin, transmission, and population structure of pathogenic S. saprophyticus and identifies putative new virulence factors

Heterogeneización del proceso continuo para la conversión de glicerol a Solketal utilizando un catalizador estructurado monolítico de base carbonosa

Se ha desarrollado un catalizador estructurado de base carbonos hidrofobia y funcionalidad con grupos sulfúricos estables no lixiviables que permite la operación en continuo de la acetalización de glicerol con acetona de forma eficiente y se han establecido los parámetros operacionales y espaciales para su posible escalado.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Staphylococcus saprophyticus from clinical and environmental origins have distinct biofilm composition

Biofilm formation has been shown to be critical to the success of uropathogens. Although Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a common cause of urinary tract infections, its biofilm production capacity, composition, genetic basis, and origin are poorly understood. We investigated biofilm formation in a large and diverse collection of S. saprophyticus (n = 422). Biofilm matrix composition was assessed in representative strains (n = 63) belonging to two main S. saprophyticus lineages (G and S) recovered from human infection, colonization, and food-related environment using biofilm detachment approach. To identify factors that could be associated with biofilm formation and structure variation, we used a pangenome-wide association study approach. Almost all the isolates (91%; n = 384/422) produced biofilm. Among the 63 representative strains, we identified eight biofilm matrix phenotypes, but the most common were composed of protein or protein-extracellular DNA (eDNA)-polysaccharides (38%, 24/63 each). Biofilms containing protein-eDNA-polysaccharides were linked to lineage G and environmental isolates, whereas protein-based biofilms were produced by lineage S and infection isolates (p < 0.05). Putative biofilm-associated genes, namely, aas, atl, ebpS, uafA, sasF, sasD, sdrH, splE, sdrE, sdrC, sraP, and ica genes, were found with different frequencies (3-100%), but there was no correlation between their presence and biofilm production or matrix types. Notably, icaC_1 was ubiquitous in the collection, while icaR was lineage G-associated, and only four strains carried a complete ica gene cluster (icaADBCR) except one that was without icaR. We provided evidence, using a comparative genomic approach, that the complete icaADBCR cluster was acquired multiple times by S. saprophyticus and originated from other coagulase-negative staphylococci. Overall, the composition of S. saprophyticus biofilms was distinct in environmental and clinical isolates, suggesting that modulation of biofilm structure could be a key step in the pathogenicity of these bacteria. Moreover, biofilm production in S. saprophyticus is ica-independent, and the complete icaADBCR was acquired from other staphylococci

In-depth proteomics characterization of ∆Np73 effectors identifies key proteins with diagnostic potential implicated in lymphangiogenesis, vasculogenesis and metastasis in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Alterations in proteins of the p53-family are a common event in CRC. ΔNp73, a p53-family member, shows oncogenic properties and its effectors are largely unknown. We performed an in-depth proteomics characterization of transcriptional control by ∆Np73 of the secretome of human colon cancer cells and validated its clinical potential. The secretome was analyzed using high-density antibody microarrays and stable isotopic metabolic labeling. Validation was performed by semiquantitative PCR, ELISA, dot-blot and western blot analysis. Evaluation of selected effectors was carried out using 60 plasma samples from CRC patients, individuals carrying premalignant colorectal lesions and colonoscopy-negative controls. In total, 51 dysregulated proteins were observed showing at least 1.5-foldchange in expression. We found an important association between the overexpression of ∆Np73 and effectors related to lymphangiogenesis, vasculogenesis and metastasis, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the putative aminoacyl tRNA synthase complex-interacting multifunctional protein 1 (EMAP-II)-vascular endothelial growth factor C-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 axis. We further demonstrated the usefulness of BDNF as a potential CRC biomarker able to discriminate between CRC patients and premalignant individuals from controls with high sensitivity and specificity.This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project “PI18/00473” and co-funded by the European Union (FEDER funds) and Cátedra UAM-Roche en Medicina de Innovación to GD, and the Ramón y Cajal Programme of the MINECO, PI17CIII/00045 and PI20CIII/00019 research projects from AES-ISCIII to RB. MG-A and JR-C were supported by contracts of the Programa Operativo de Empleo Juvenil y la Iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil (YEI) with the participation of the Consejería de Educación, Juventud y Deporte de la Comunidad de Madrid y del Fondo Social Europeo. AM-C FPU predoctoral contract is supported by the MECD. GS-F is a recipient of a predoctoral contract (grant num-ber 1193818N) supported by The Flanders Research Foundation (FWO).S

The specific seroreactivity to ∆Np73 isoforms shows higher diagnostic ability in colorectal cancer patients than the canonical p73 protein

The p53-family is tightly regulated at transcriptional level. Due to alternative splicing, up to 40 different theoretical proteoforms have been described for p73 and at least 20 and 10 for p53 and p63, respectively. However, only the canonical proteins have been evaluated as autoantibody targets in cancer patients for diagnosis. In this study, we have cloned and expressed in vitro the most upregulated proteoforms of p73, ΔNp73α and ΔNp73β, for the analysis of their seroreactivity by a developed luminescence based immunoassay test using 145 individual plasma from colorectal cancer, premalignant individuals and healthy controls. ∆Np73α seroreactivity showed the highest diagnostic ability to discriminate between groups. The combination of ∆Np73α, ∆Np73β and p73 proteoforms seroreactivity were able to improve their individual diagnostic ability. Competitive inhibition experiments further demonstrated the presence of unique specific epitopes in ΔNp73 isoforms not present in p73, with several colorectal patients showing unique and specific seroreactivity to the ΔNp73 proteoforms. Overall, we have increased the complexity of the humoral immune response to the p53-family in cancer patients, showing that the proteoforms derived from the alternative splicing of p73 possess a higher diagnostic ability than the canonical protein, which might be extensive for p53 and p63 proteins.This work was supported by the Ramon y Cajal programme of the MINECO and the financial support of the PI17CIII/00045 grant from the AES-ISCIII program to R.B., cofounded by FEDER funds. G.D. acknowledges the financial support of PI15/00246 grant of the FIS and Cátedra UAM-Roche en Medicina de Innovación. M.G-A. was supported by a contract of the Programa Operativo de Empleo Juvenil y la Iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil (YEI) with the participation of the Consejería de Educación, Juventud y Deporte de la Comunidad de Madrid y del Fondo Social Europeo. We thank the excellent technical support of Maricruz Sánchez. A.M-C. is a recipient of a FPU fellowship from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte.S

Climatología sinóptica de la nubosidad a partir de datos AVHRR en la Península Ibérica y Baleares durante el semestre cálido mayo-octubre (1997-2011)

Ponencia presentada en: IX Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Almería entre el 28 y el 30 de octubre de 2014.[ES]En este estudio se presenta la primera distribución espacial de la nubosidad en función de varios tipos sinópticos para el conjunto de la Península Ibérica y las Islas Baleares durante el período cálido del año (mayo-octubre). Las máscaras de nubes diarias se obtuvieron mediante la aplicación de un algoritmo diurno y multiespectral de detección de nubes sobre tierra para una serie temporal de 15 años (1997-2011) de datos del sensor Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer HRPT . En este trabajo se procesaron un total de 2094 pases de tarde (entre las 1230 y 1720 UTC) correspondientes a los satélites NOAA-14, NOAA-16 y NOAA-18.[EN]In this study we retrieved the first spatial distribution of mid-afternoon clouds under various synoptic regimes across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands for the warm/convective-season, from May through October. Accurate daily cloud masks were derived by applying a daytime over land multispectral convective cloud detection algorithm spanning 15-years (1997-2011) of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) HRPT data. We processed a total of 2094 afternoon overpasses (between 1230 and 1720 UTC) corresponding to the NOAA-14, NOAA-16 and NOAA- 18 spacecrafts.Esta investigación ha sido financiada por (i) el contrato de C. A-M (JCI-2011-10263); y (ii) los proyectos CGL2011-27574-C02-02, CGL2011-27536/HID financiados por la CICYT, y el FEDER; y el proyecto MEDACC ((LIFE12 ENV/ES/000536)

Antimicrobial use and aetiology of bloodstream infections in critically ill patients during early stages of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Background: During early stages of COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobials were commonly prescribed.Aim: To describe clinical, microbiological and antimicrobial use changes in bloodstream infections (BSI) of ICU patients during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19 era. Methods: Observational cohort study of patients admitted to ICU of Bellvitge University Hospital was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2020) and before COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2019). Differences in clinical characteristics, anti-microbial consumption and incidence and aetiology of BSI were measured.Findings: COVID-19 patients had significantly less comorbidities with obesity the only risk factor that increased in frequency. COVID-19 patients more frequently required invasive supportive care measures, had longer median ICU stay and higher mortality rates. The incidence of BSIs was higher in COVID-19 period (RR 3.2 [95%CI 2.2-4.7]), occurred in patients who showed prolonged median ICU stay (21days) and was associated with high mortality rate (47%). The highest increases in the aetiological agents were observed for AmpC-producing bacteria (RR 11.1 [95%CI 2.6-47.9]) and non-fermenting rods (RR 7.0 [95% CI 1.5-31.4]). The emergence of bacteraemia caused by Gram-negative rods resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate, which was used as empirical therapy during early stages of the pandemic, led to an escalation towards broader-spectrum antimicrobials such as mer-openem and colistin which was also associated with the emergence of resistant isolates.Conclusions: The epidemiological shift towards resistant phenotypes in critically ill COVID-19 patients was associated with the selective use of antimicrobials. Our study provides evidence of the impact of empirical therapy on the selection of bacteria and their consequences on BSI over the subsequent months.& COPY; 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Healthcare Infection Society.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Salvar a la Dra. Arnold: un escaperoom para ingeniería química

Se ha diseñado e implementado un Escaperoom para ser aplicado como herramienta de gamificación en la educación superior. El objetivo principal ha sido involucrar a los estudiantes en su propio aprendizaje, aumentando así la motivación, para cerrar la brecha entre la Ingeniería Química del aula y el mundo real, así como permitir el trabajo en equipo y el aprendizaje entre pares. Además, también se abordaron los desafíos actuales que preocupan a la sociedad en la actualidad como son la Energía, el Transporte, la Contaminación y la Seguridad y el mejor aprovechamiento de los Recursos. En el proyecto participaron estudiantes de los últimos años del Grado en Ingeniería Química y del primer año del Máster.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech