Diagnosis and Molecular Characterization of Chikungunya Virus Infections

In recent years, large-scale outbreaks of chikungunya arbovirus (CHIKV), which is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, have enabled the rapid propagation of the virus across the world. After acute infection phase with commonly fever, joint pain, headache, or rash, chronic rheumatism (arthralgia or myalgia, anorexia, and concentration disorders) up to 40% of cases is observed. The chronic form is defined by symptoms persisting for more than 3 months, and up to years, after initial diagnosis. Chronic discomfort has been linked to one of the four genotypes described. These genotypes represent different geographic lineages (classification based on partial sequence of viral E1 glycoprotein): West African, East-Central-South-African (ECSA), ECSA-diverged or Indian Ocean Lineage (IOL), and Asian. The first marker detected in CHIK infection is the viral RNA, usually by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This marker can be identified in samples within 8 days of symptom onset. The infection can also be diagnosed with serological testing to detect CHIKV-specific immunoglobulin IgG and/or IgM. Sequencing studies can determine the infecting genotype

Una variedad blanca (Vitis vinifera L.) de alto interés comercial, y en vías de extinción. Sinonimias y homonimias

Comunicación presentada al X Congreso Nacional de Ciencias Hortícolas, celebrado en Pontevedra en mayo de 2003.Peer reviewe

An Unsaturated Four-Coordinate Dimethyl Dimolybdenum Complex with a Molybdenum–Molybdenum Quadruple Bond

We describe the synthesis and the molecular and electronic structures of the complex [Mo2Me2{μ‐HC(NDipp)2}2] (2; Dipp=2,6‐iPr2C6H3), which contains a dimetallic core with an Mo–Mo quadruple bond and features uncommon four‐coordinate geometry and has a fourteen‐electron count for each molybdenum atom. The coordination polyhedron approaches a square pyramid, with one of the molybdenum atoms nearly co‐planar with the basal square plane, in which the trans coordination position with respect to the Mo−Me bond is vacant. The other three sites are occupied by two trans nitrogen atoms of different amidinate ligands and the methyl group. The second Mo atom occupies the apex of the pyramid and forms an Mo–Mo bond of length 2.080(1) Å, consistent with a quadruple bond. Compound 2 reacts with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and trimethylphosphine to yield the mono‐adducts [Mo2Me(μ‐Me){μ‐HC(NDipp)2}2(L)] (3⋅THF and 3⋅PMe3, respectively) with one terminal and one bridging methyl group. In contrast, 4‐dimethylaminopyridine (dmap) forms the bis‐adduct [Mo2Me2{μ‐HC(NDipp)2}2(dmap)2] (4), with terminally coordinated methyl groups. Hydrogenolysis of complex 2 leads to the bis(hydride) [Mo2H2{μ‐HC(NDipp)2}2(thf)2] (5⋅THF) with elimination of CH4. Computational, kinetic, and mechanistic studies, which included the use of D2 and of complex 2 labelled with 13C (99 %) at the Mo–CH3 sites, supported the intermediacy of a methyl‐hydride reactive species. A computational DFT analysis of the terminal and bridging coordination of the methyl groups to the Mo≣Mo core is also reported.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CTQ2010-15833, CTQ2013-42501-P, CTQ2014-52769-C3-3-R, CTQ2015-64579-C3-1-P, Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2007-00006Junta de Andalucía FQM-119, P09-FQM-5117Ministerio de Educación AP-4193Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BES-2011-04764

Comorbidities in a sample of adults with HIV in Puerto Rico: an exploratory study.

Background: Puerto Rico is among the areas with the highest estimated rates of people living with HIV in the United States. Despite the epidemiologic data available, there is limited real-world information that can help understand the comorbidities of people with HIV. In this study, we describe common comorbidities among adults with HIV attending treatment clinics in Puerto Rico. Methods: An exploratory, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at five HIV clinics in Puerto Rico. A random sample of medical records was reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient demographics, morbidity, and clinical characteristics. Multivariate analyses were conducted to explore comorbidities by age and sex. Results: A total of 250 (179 men; 71 women) medical records were reviewed. Participants\u27 mean age was 47.9 years and on average they had been living with HIV for 9 years. Most (97.6%) had at least one comorbidity. The most common comorbidities were dyslipidemia and hypertension. Men were more likely to have been diagnosed with alcohol misuse while women were more likely to have been diagnosed with obesity, human papillomavirus (HPV), hypothyroidism, and osteoporosis. Participants younger than 50 years of age were more likely to have history of alcohol misuse while older individuals (50 years and old) were more likely to have been diagnosed with dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Adjusting by sex and age, women were more likely to have been diagnosed with obesity and depression and those older than 50 years were more likely to have had a diagnosis of dyslipidemia, hypertension, HPV, and diabetes. Conclusions: This is one of the few studies assessing comorbidities among adults with HIV in Puerto Rico, among Latino/Hispanics within the United States, and Latin America. Consistent with other studies, cardiovascular diseases are common among adults with HIV in Puerto Rico. Findings support the need for awareness and real-world evidence about comorbidities among people with HIV when implementing screenings and prescribing drugs

Vineyard Management and Physicochemical Parameters of Soil Affect Native Trichoderma Populations, Sources of Biocontrol Agents against Phaeoacremonium minimum

[EN] Native strains of Trichoderma in vineyard soil represent an opportunity for reducing the incidence of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) in vineyards. Moreover, its relationship with the environment (physicochemical soil characteristics and farming management practices) remains unclear. In the current study, a survey was carried out on farming management used by viticulturists, and soil samples were studied to analyze their physicochemical properties and to isolate Trichoderma strains. Later, statistical analyses were performed to identify possible correlations between Trichoderma populations, soil management and soil characteristics. In addition, in vitro tests, including antibiosis and mycoparasitism, were performed to select those Trichoderma strains able to antagonize Phaeoacremonium minimum. In this study a positive correlation was found between the iron content and pH in the soil, and a lower pH increases Trichoderma populations in soils. Vineyard management also affects Trichoderma populations in the soil, negatively in the case of fertilization and tillage and positively in the case of herbicide spraying. Two Trichoderma native strains were selected as potential biocontrol agents (Trichoderma gamsii T065 and Trichoderma harzianum T087) using antibiosis and mycoparasitism as mechanisms of action. These results led to the conclusion that native Trichoderma strains hold great potential as biological control agents and as producers of secondary metabolites.SIThis research was funded by project GLOBALVITI ‘Solución global para mejorar la’ Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial–CDTI—(Madrid, Spain) Project, GLOBALVITI project (CIEN Program) IDI-20160746, the project LowpHwine (CIEN Program) IDI ‘Estudio de nuevos factores relacionados con el suelo, la planta y la microbiota enológica que influyen en el equilibrio de la acidez de los vinos y en su garantía de calidad y estabilidad en climas cálidos’ and Bodega Pago de Carraovejas S.L.U. Thanks to all the wineries and viticulturists who kindly let us sample their vineyards. Thanks also to the research staff of the GUIIAS group for their technical support

LIPSS manufacturing with regularity control through laser wavefront curvature

Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) manufacturing is a convenient laser direct-writing technique for the fabrication of nanostructures with adaptable characteristics on the surface of virtually any material. In this paper, we study the influence of 1D laser wavefront curvature on nanoripples spatial regularity, by irradiating stainless steel with a line-focused ultrafast laser beam emitting 120 fs pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm and with 1 kHz repetition rate. We find high correlation between the spatial regularity of the fabricated nanostructures and the wavefront characteristics of the laser beam, with higher regularity being found with quasi-plane-wave illumination. Our results provide insight regarding the control of LIPSS regularity, which is essential for industrial applications involving the LIPSS generation technique

Analysis of substrate specificity of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases involved in trichothecene toxin biosynthesis

[EN]Trichothecenes are a structurally diverse family of toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain species of multiple fungal genera. All trichothecene analogs share a core 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene (EPT) structure but differ in presence, absence and types of substituents attached to various positions of EPT. Formation of some of the structural diversity begins early in the biosynthetic pathway such that some producing species have few trichothecene biosynthetic intermediates in common. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) play critical roles in formation of trichothecene structural diversity. Within some species, relaxed substrate specificities of P450s allow individual orthologs of the enzymes to modify multiple trichothecene biosynthetic intermediates. It is not clear, however, whether the relaxed specificity extends to biosynthetic intermediates that are not produced by the species in which the orthologs originate. To address this knowledge gap, we used a mutant complementation-heterologous expression analysis to assess whether orthologs of three trichothecene biosynthetic P450s (TRI11, TRI13 and TRI22) from Fusarium sporotrichioides, Trichoderma arundinaceum, and Paramyrothecium roridum can modify trichothecene biosynthetic intermediates that they do not encounter in the organism in which they originated. The results indicate that TRI13 and TRI22 could not modify the intermediates that they do not normally encounter, whereas TRI11 could modify an intermediate that it does not normally encounter. These findings indicate that substrate promiscuity varies among trichothecene biosynthetic P450s. One structural feature that likely impacts the ability of the P450s to use biosynthetic intermediates as substrates is the presence and absence of an oxygen atom attached to carbon atom 3 of EPT.SIOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCL