Molecular detection of hemoprotozoa and Rickettsia species in arthropods collected from wild animals in the Burgos Province, Spain

Limited information on the presence of bacterial and hematozoan infections in parasitic arthropods from Spain is available. In an attempt to address this issue, the prevalence of Theileria, Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Rickettsia species was investigated by polymerase chain reaction plus sequencing. In a survey for zoonotic pathogens in ectoparasites, 42 wild animals (which included rodents, carnivores, Sciuridae, and Cervidae) were captured in Burgos (Spain). A total of 256 arthropods (including 107 ticks, 76 fleas, and 73 mites) were collected from these mammals. Molecular diagnostic results showed that (i) Rickettsia felis was found in fleas (two Ctenocephalides felis), (ii) Hepatozoon sp. infected some fleas (two Ctenophtalmus sp. and a DNA pool of Ceratophyllus sciurorum) and Acari (one Neotrombicula sp.), and (iii) Theileria annae was found in Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus (each a single infected specimen). All microorganisms and parasites were genetically identical to pathogens already described in Spain or elsewhere. Infected arthropods were recovered from beech marten, bank vole, squirrel, wood mouse, and red fox. Our findings emphasize the potential risk for transmission of rickettsias to humans (namely, R. felis) in Burgos, since C. felis is capable to seek out humans for feeding. No hemoprotozoa with proven significance as human pathogens were found in the survey. However, finding T. annae in ticks recovered from wild canids suggests possible links of sylvatic and domestic cycles for some Piroplasmida

Spherical probe for the thermophysical characterization of regoliths for planetary exploration using frequency methods

© 2022 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/The objective of this paper is to analyse the capability of a spherical thermoprobe, recently proposed as a 3D heat flux sensor for regoliths, and additionally to characterize the thermophysical properties of regoliths. The sensor is based on the spherical structure of a Mars wind sensor. The characterization is carried out using frequency methods. Extensive experimental results have been obtained with eight regolith simulants made of glass microbeads. Errors in thermal conductivity and diffusivity are smaller than ± 7%, for these simulants.Funded in part by MICINN, grants no. RTI2018-098728-B-C33 and PID2021-126719OB-C42, and ESA contract 4000128070/19/NL/KML for the MiniPINS study.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Effect of Metformin to a pretreatment with steroids in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in the viability of the MOLT-4 cell line

Introducción: metformina es un medicamento antidiabético evaluado en varios modelos in vitro e in vivo de cáncer ya que es capaz de incrementar la proteincinasa activada por adenosin monofosfato y bloquear las vías de señalización tumoral. Objetivo: evaluar los efectos antitumorales de metformina en línea celular MOLT-4 en pacientes bajo tratamiento de inducción a la remisión. Materiales y métodos: fase in vitro: ensayo en línea celular MOLT-4 adicionando metformina 40 mM evaluando la viabilidad y ciclo celular mediante citometría de flujo. Fase clínica: Estudio de casos y controles en pacientes portadores de leucemia linfoblástica aguda de novo, adicionando metformina 850 mg cada ocho horas en etapa de pretratamiento e inducción a la remisión, contra el registro histórico del protocolo institucional HGMLAL07. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó el test de chi-cuadrado, estudio multivariado para factores de riesgo y evaluación del efecto sobre la remisión mediante Odds Ratio. Resultados: ensayo celular: meformina inhibió la viabilidad celular a las 120 horas, reduciendo el porcentaje de células en fase S. Estudio clínico: en un total de 151 pacientes, el 29,1% correspondieron al brazo de metformina. La mayor tasa de respuesta favorable a esteroides como de remisiones completas se encontraron en los pacientes que recibieron metformina (59,1% versus 26,2% y 81,8% versus 57,9%) con significancia estadística (p= 0.000* y 0,006 95% IC). Conclusiones: la adición de metformina a la quimioterapia incremento la respuesta favorable a esteroides y las tasas de remisiones completas. In vitro, y semejante a otros modelos, metformina arresta a las células en G0/G1, induciendo una disminución en la viabilidad celular. MÉD.UIS. 2015;28(2):221-8.Introduction: metformin, antidiabetic drug evaluated in several in vitro and in vivo cancer models, is able of increasing the adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase and block tumor signaling pathways. Objetive: to evaluate the antitumor effects of metformin in MOLT-4 cell line and in patients under treatment for remission induction. Materials and methods: in vitro phase: essay in MOLT-4 cell line adding metformin 40 mM evaluating the viability and cell cycle by flow cytometry. Clinic phase: Case-control study in patients with de novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia, adding metformin three time a day on pretreatment stage and remission induction, against the historical record of the institutional protocol HGMLAL07. Statistical analysis: chi-square analysis, multivariate analysis for risk factors and evaluation of the effect over the remission by Odds ratio. Results: celular assay: metformina inhibited cell viability at 120 hours reducing the percentage of cells in phase S. Clinical assay: 151 patients were studied, 29.1% on metformina arm. The highest rate of good steroid response and complete remissions were found in patients who received metformin (59,1% versus 26,2% and 81,8% vs 57,9%) statistically significant (p= 0.000* and 0.006, 95% IC). Conclusions: the addition of metformin to chemotherapy increased the good steroids response to steroids and rates of complete remissions. In vitro, and similar to other models, metformin arrest cells in G0/G1, inducing a decrease in cell viability. MÉD.UIS. 2015;28(5):221-8

Rhodium-NHC hybrid silica materials as recyclable catalysts for [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of alkynes

Bis-silylated dihydroimidazolium salt 1 and monosilylated imidazolium salt 2 are transformed to (NHC)RhCl(COD) complexes 3 and 4, allowing the preparation of hybrid silica materials either by sol-gel or grafting processes. Full characterization of the materials by means of solid state NMR, N₂-sorption measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis was followed by evaluation of catalytic activity in the [2+2+2] cycloaddition of alkynes. Excellent yields of the cycloadducts are obtained for up to six consecutive cycles with the grafted material, using simple filtration to recover the catalyst. Both conventional and microwave heating prove effective for the process described

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

Prevalence of ectoparasitic arthropods on wild animals and cattle in the Las Merindades area (Burgos, Spain)

This paper reports the prevalence of ectoparasitic arthropods in sampled groups of wild (n = 128; 16 species) and domestic (n = 69; 3 species) animals in the Las Merindades area of the Province of Burgos, Spain. The study revealed that wild animals were more infested and with a wider variety of ectoparasites than domestic animals. The parasitic prevalence was 67% for wild animals and 48% for livestock. In this way, 39% of animals were infected by ticks. Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus were the most prevalent species whereas Dermacentor reticulatus showed affinity for the fox and wolf. The overall prevalence of parasitisation by fleas was 27%. Ctenophthalmus spp. showed the wider range host in wild animals, while Pulex irritans was the most frequent specie found. The parasitic prevalences by lice (Trichodectes melis, Trichodectes canis and Trichodectes mustelae) and by mite (Neotrombicula spp., Laelaps agilis and Sarcoptes scabiei) were 4% and 12%, respectively. In both cases only wild animals were found parasited

Prevalence of ectoparasitic arthropods on wild animals and cattle in the Las Merindades area (Burgos, Spain)

This paper reports the prevalence of ectoparasitic arthropods in sampled groups of wild (n = 128; 16 species) and domestic (n = 69; 3 species) animals in the Las Merindades area of the Province of Burgos, Spain. The study revealed that wild animals were more infested and with a wider variety of ectoparasites than domestic animals. The parasitic prevalence was 67% for wild animals and 48% for livestock. In this way, 39% of animals were infected by ticks. Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus were the most prevalent species whereas Dermacentor reticulatus showed affinity for the fox and wolf. The overall prevalence of parasitisation by fleas was 27%. Ctenophthalmus spp. showed the wider range host in wild animals, while Pulex irritans was the most frequent specie found. The parasitic prevalences by lice (Trichodectes melis, Trichodectes canis and Trichodectes mustelae) and by mite (Neotrombicula spp., Laelaps agilis and Sarcoptes scabiei) were 4% and 12%, respectively. In both cases only wild animals were found parasited

Evaluación de la influencia de diferentes condiciones de cultivo en el potencial postbiótico de productos extracelulares de Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11

Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 es una cepa probiótica que ejerce importantes efectos beneficiosos en peces cultivados. Sin embargo, no hay conocimiento sobre su potencial postbiótico en la industria acuícola. Dado que la producción de metabolitos postbióticos puede verse afectada por diferentes factores, el presente trabajo estudia los efectos en diferentes condiciones de crecimiento: (i) medios de cultivo, (ii) temperatura, (iii) tiempo de incubación y (iv) salinidad sobre el potencial postbiótico de los productos extracelulares (EPCs) de Pdp11. Para ello, se han analizado sus capacidades hidrolíticas, antibacterianas, antivirales y citotóxicas. Los resultados obtenidos han demostrado que las potenciales características postbióticas de Pdp11 dependen de las condiciones de crecimiento estudiadas, mostrando diferentes perfiles de hidrólisis enzimática, un efecto antivírico en el título del Virus de la Necrosis Nerviosa (NNV), un efecto estimulante en la viabilidad de diferentes líneas celulares, y un efecto en la formación de biopelícula de patógenos de peces.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por MINECO (#PID2020-113637RB-C22). Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Acceleration and drift reduction of MOX gas sensors using active sigma-delta controls based on dielectric excitation

The objective of this paper is to apply a closed-loop control based on dielectric excitation to MOX gas sensors in order to improve their response time. The control implements a feedback loop in which temperature modulations keep constant the sensor reactance, measured at constant temperature. The required fast temperature switching has been implemented on MEMS microhotplates. The mean temperature generated by the control is the new output signal. This technique is applied to an in-house sensor made of WO3 nanowires decorated with gold nanoparticles to detect NH3 and to a commercial MEMS MOX sensor (CCS801).Postprint (author's final draft