Molecular Characteristics of Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), and Multidrug Resistant E. coli Isolated from Healthy Dogs in Spain. Whole Genome Sequencing of Canine ST372 Isolates and Comparison with Human Isolates Causing Extraintestinal Infections

Under a one health perspective and the worldwide antimicrobial resistance concern, we investigated extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), and multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli from 197 isolates recovered from healthy dogs in Spain between 2013 and 2017. A total of 91 (46.2%) isolates were molecularly classified as ExPEC and/or UPEC, including 50 clones, among which (i) four clones were dominant (B2-CH14-180-ST127, B2-CH52-14-ST141, B2-CH103-9-ST372 and F-CH4-58-ST648) and (ii) 15 had been identified among isolates causing extraintestinal infections in Spanish and French humans in 2015 and 2016. A total of 28 (14.2%) isolates were classified as MDR, associated with B1, D, and E phylogroups, and included 24 clones, of which eight had also been identified among the human clinical isolates. We selected 23 ST372 strains, 21 from healthy dogs, and two from human clinical isolates for whole genome sequencing and built an SNP-tree with these 23 genomes and 174 genomes (128 from canine strains and 46 from human strains) obtained from public databases. These 197 genomes were segregated into six clusters. Cluster 1 comprised 74.6% of the strain genomes, mostly composed of canine strain genomes (p < 0.00001). Clusters 4 and 6 also included canine strain genomes, while clusters 2, 3, and 5 were significantly associated with human strain genomes. Finding several common clones and clone-related serotypes in dogs and humans suggests a potentially bidirectional clone transfer that argues for the one health perspective

Structural, 1/f Noise and MOKE Characterization of Vicinal La0.7\text{}_{0.7}Sr0.3\text{}_{0.3}MnO3\text{}_{3} Thin Films

This paper presents some structural, magnetic and electrical properties of 40 nm and 75 nm thick La$\text{}_{0.7}$Sr$\text{}_{0.3}$MnO$\text{}_{3}$ thin films deposited on vicinal SrTiO$\text{}_{3}$(001) substrates. The vicinal angles were 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10º from the [001] direction towards [110]. Standard SrTiO$\text{}_{3}$(001) substrates were used for comparison and for the growth condition optimization. Structural properties were studied by X-ray diffraction, which indicated that the LSMO films grew with their (001) axis coincident with the (001) axis of the substrate. The surface morphology was carefully studied by atomic force microscopy in tapping mode. Very smooth films and regular step-terrace structures on the La$\text{}_{0.7}$Sr$\text{}_{0.3}$MnO$\text{}_{3}$ surfaces could be observed. The root mean square roughness measured in 2μ m×2μ m images was in the 0.130-0.580 nm range for all angles and both thicknesses. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer measurements revealed a Curie temperature in the 340-350 K range and magneto-optical Kerr microscopy enabled magnetic domain imaging and hysteresis loop measurements at 300 K. A uniaxial easy magnetization direction was obtained at 300 K for angles above 4º, with the easy axis along the steps. Finally, preliminary 1/f noise measurements were performed at 300 K for bias currents along and perpendicular to the step direction, showing a noise level as low as that we typically measured on standard SrTiO$\text{}_{3}$(001) substrates. All these results are promising for the future realization of room-temperature devices making use of the anisotropy of the magnetization

Structural, 1/f Noise and MOKE Characterization of Vicinal La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 Thin Films

This paper presents some structural, magnetic and electrical properties of 40 nm and 75 nm thick La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films deposited on vicinal SrTiO3(001) substrates. The vicinal angles were 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10º from the [001] direction towards [110]. Standard SrTiO3(001) substrates were used for comparison and for the growth condition optimization. Structural properties were studied by X-ray diffraction, which indicated that the LSMO films grew with their (001) axis coincident with the (001) axis of the substrate. The surface morphology was carefully studied by atomic force microscopy in tapping mode. Very smooth films and regular step-terrace structures on the La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 surfaces could be observed. The root mean square roughness measured in 2μ m×2μ m images was in the 0.130-0.580 nm range for all angles and both thicknesses. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer measurements revealed a Curie temperature in the 340-350 K range and magneto-optical Kerr microscopy enabled magnetic domain imaging and hysteresis loop measurements at 300 K. A uniaxial easy magnetization direction was obtained at 300 K for angles above 4º, with the easy axis along the steps. Finally, preliminary 1/f noise measurements were performed at 300 K for bias currents along and perpendicular to the step direction, showing a noise level as low as that we typically measured on standard SrTiO3(001) substrates. All these results are promising for the future realization of room-temperature devices making use of the anisotropy of the magnetization