Human Infection with G12 Rotaviruses, Germany

Rotavirus group A G12 genotypes were detected in 3 (1.5%) of 198 stool samples positive for human rotavirus. G12P[6] was present in 2 samples, and a mixed G3G12P[8] was found in 1 sample. Phylogenetic analysis of complete open reading frames of all 11 genomic RNA segments proved their Wa-like genogroup affiliation

Epigenetic and transcriptomic reprogramming in monocytes of severe COVID-19 patients reflects alterations in myeloid differentiation and the influence of inflammatory cytokines

COVID-19; Monocytes; Single-cell transcriptomicsCOVID-19; Monocitos; Transcriptómica unicelularCOVID-19; Monòcits; Transcriptòmica unicel·lularBackground COVID-19 manifests with a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes, ranging from asymptomatic and mild to severe and critical. Severe and critical COVID-19 patients are characterized by marked changes in the myeloid compartment, especially monocytes. However, little is known about the epigenetic alterations that occur in these cells during hyperinflammatory responses in severe COVID-19 patients. Methods In this study, we obtained the DNA methylome and transcriptome of peripheral blood monocytes from severe COVID-19 patients. DNA samples extracted from CD14 + CD15- monocytes of 48 severe COVID-19 patients and 11 healthy controls were hybridized on MethylationEPIC BeadChip arrays. In parallel, single-cell transcriptomics of 10 severe COVID-19 patients were generated. CellPhoneDB was used to infer changes in the crosstalk between monocytes and other immune cell types. Results We observed DNA methylation changes in CpG sites associated with interferon-related genes and genes associated with antigen presentation, concordant with gene expression changes. These changes significantly overlapped with those occurring in bacterial sepsis, although specific DNA methylation alterations in genes specific to viral infection were also identified. We also found these alterations to comprise some of the DNA methylation changes occurring during myeloid differentiation and under the influence of inflammatory cytokines. A progression of DNA methylation alterations in relation to the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was found to be related to interferon-related genes and T-helper 1 cell cytokine production. CellPhoneDB analysis of the single-cell transcriptomes of other immune cell types suggested the existence of altered crosstalk between monocytes and other cell types like NK cells and regulatory T cells. Conclusion Our findings show the occurrence of an epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming of peripheral blood monocytes, which could be associated with the release of aberrant immature monocytes, increased systemic levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and changes in immune cell crosstalk in these patients.This study has been funded by R+D+i project of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant number PID2020-117212RB-I00/ MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). We also thank the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (grant 2020–216799) and Wellcome Sanger core funding (WT206194). This publication has also been supported by the Unstoppable campaign of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation. Additional funding comes from Project PI18/00346 (Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF/ESF ). A.B. received additional support from a Gates Cambridge Scholarship

rpoB Gene mutations in rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis identified by polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformational polymorphism.

The use of polymerase chain reaction-single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to study rpoB gene mutations in rifampin-resistant (RIFr) Mycobacterium tuberculosis has yielded contradictory results. To determine the sensitivity of this method, we analyzed 35 RIFr strains and 11 rifampin-susceptible (RIFs) strains, using the DNA sequencing of the core region of rpoB for comparison. Of the RIFr, 24 had a PCR-SSCP pattern identical to that of H37Rv; the other 11 had four different patterns. The 11 RIFs had PCR-SSCP patterns identical to that of H37Rv. The sensitivity of the assay was 31.4%; its specificity was 100%. We observed a strong correlation between the degree of resistance and the type of mutation

Household Transmission of Rotavirus in a Community with Rotavirus Vaccination in Quininde, Ecuador

Background: We studied the transmission of rotavirus infection in households in peri-urban Ecuador in the vaccination era. Methods: Stool samples were collected from household contacts of child rotavirus cases, diarrhea controls and healthy controls following presentation of the index child to health facilities. Rotavirus infection status of contacts was determined by RT-qPCR. We examined factors associated with transmissibility (index-case characteristics) and susceptibility (householdcontact characteristics). Results: Amongst cases, diarrhea controls and healthy control household contacts, infection attack rates (iAR) were 55%, 8% and 2%, (n = 137, 130, 137) respectively. iARs were higher from index cases with vomiting, and amongst siblings. Disease ARs were higher when the index child was ,18 months and had vomiting, with household contact ,10 years and those sharing a room with the index case being more susceptible. We found no evidence of asymptomatic infections leading to disease transmission. Conclusion: Transmission rates of rotavirus are high in households with an infected child, while background infections are rare. We have identified factors associated with transmission (vomiting/young age of index case) and susceptibility (young age/sharing a room/being a sibling of the index case). Vaccination may lead to indirect benefits by averting episodes or reducing symptoms in vaccinees

Increasing work-place healthiness with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND: Short term illnesses, usually caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases are disruptive to productivity and there is relatively little focus on preventative measures. This study examined the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri protectis (ATCC55730) on its ability to improve work-place healthiness by reducing short term sick-leave caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. METHODS: 262 employees at TetraPak in Sweden (day-workers and three-shift-workers) that were healthy at study start were randomised in a double-blind fashion to receive either a daily dose of 10(8 )Colony Forming Units of L. reuteri or placebo for 80 days. The study products were administered with a drinking straw. 181 subjects complied with the study protocol, 94 were randomised to receive L. reuteri and 87 received placebo. RESULTS: In the placebo group 26.4% reported sick-leave for the defined causes during the study as compared with 10.6% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). The frequency of sick-days was 0.9% in the placebo group and 0.4% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). Among the 53 shift-workers, 33% in the placebo group reported sick during the study period as compared with none in the L. reuteri group(p < 0.005)

Heterogeneous susceptibility to rotavirus infection and gastroenteritis in two birth cohort studies: Parameter estimation and epidemiological implications.

Cohort studies, randomized trials, and post-licensure studies have reported reduced natural and vaccine-derived protection against rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in low- and middle-income countries. While susceptibility of children to rotavirus is known to vary within and between settings, implications for estimation of immune protection are not well understood. We sought to re-estimate naturally-acquired protection against rotavirus infection and RVGE, and to understand how differences in susceptibility among children impacted estimates. We re-analyzed data from studies conducted in Mexico City, Mexico and Vellore, India. Cumulatively, 573 rotavirus-unvaccinated children experienced 1418 rotavirus infections and 371 episodes of RVGE over 17,636 child-months. We developed a model that characterized susceptibility to rotavirus infection and RVGE among children, accounting for aspects of the natural history of rotavirus and differences in transmission rates between settings. We tested whether model-generated susceptibility measurements were associated with demographic and anthropometric factors, and with the severity of RVGE symptoms. We identified greater variation in susceptibility to rotavirus infection and RVGE in Vellore than in Mexico City. In both cohorts, susceptibility to rotavirus infection and RVGE were associated with male sex, lower birth weight, lower maternal education, and having fewer siblings; within Vellore, susceptibility was also associated with lower socioeconomic status. Children who were more susceptible to rotavirus also experienced higher rates of rotavirus-negative diarrhea, and higher risk of moderate-to-severe symptoms when experiencing RVGE. Simulations suggested that discrepant estimates of naturally-acquired immunity against RVGE can be attributed, in part, to between-setting differences in susceptibility of children, but result primarily from the interaction of transmission rates with age-dependent risk for infections to cause RVGE. We found that more children in Vellore than in Mexico City belong to a high-risk group for rotavirus infection and RVGE, and demonstrate that unmeasured individual- and age-dependent susceptibility may influence estimates of naturally-acquired immune protection against RVGE

Long-Term Carbon Sequestration in Pine Forests under Different Silvicultural and Climatic Regimes in Spain

Proactive silviculture treatments (e.g., thinning) may increase C sequestration contributing to climate change mitigation, although, there are still questions about this effect in Mediterranean pine forests. The aim of this research was to quantify the storage of biomass and soil organic carbon in Pinus forests along a climatic gradient from North to South of the Iberian Peninsula. Nine experimental Pinus spp trials were selected along a latitudinal gradient from the pre-Pyrenees to southern Spain. At each location, a homogeneous area was used as the operational scale, and three thinning intensity treatments: unthinned or control (C), intermediate thinning (LT, removal of 30–40% of the initial basal area) and heavy thinning (HT, removal of 50–60%) were conducted. Growth per unit area (e.g., expressed as basal area increment-BAI), biomass, and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) were measured as well as three sets of environmental variables (climate, soil water availability and soil chemical and physical characteristics). One-way ANOVA and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used to study the effect of thinning and environmental variables on C sequestration. Biomass and growth per unit area were higher in the control than in the thinning treatments, although differences were only significant for P. halepensis. Radial growth recovered after thinning in all species, but it was faster in the HT treatments. Soil organic carbon (SOC10, 0–10 cm depth) was higher in the HT treatments for P. halepensis and P. sylvestris, but not for P. nigra. SEM showed that Pinus stands of the studied species were beneficed by HT thinning, recovering their growth quickly. The resulting model explained 72% of the variation in SOC10 content, and 89% of the variation in silvicultural condition (basal area and density) after thinning. SOC10 was better related to climate than to silvicultural treatments. On the other hand, soil chemical and physical characteristics did not show significant influence over SOC10- Soil water availability was the latent variable with the highest influence over SOC10. This work is a new contribution that shows the need for forest managers to integrate silviculture and C sequestration in Mediterranean pine plantations

ANGPTL-4 is associated with obesity and lipid profile in children and adolescents

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL-4) regulates lipidic metabolism and a_ects energy homeostasis. However, its function in children with obesity remains unknown. We investigated plasma ANGPTL-4 levels in children and its relationship with body mass index (BMI) and di_erent lipidic parameters such as free fatty acids (FFA). Plasma ANGPTL-4 levels were analyzed in two di_erent cohorts. In the first cohort (n = 150, age 3-17 years), which included children with normal weight or obesity, we performed a cross-sectional study. In the second cohort, which included only children with obesity (n = 20, age 5-18 years) followed up for two years after an intervention for weight loss, in which we performed a longitudinal study measuring ANGPTL-4 before and after BMI-loss. In the cross-sectional study, circulating ANGPTL-4 levels were lower in children with obesity than in those with normal weight. Moreover, ANGPTL-4 presented a negative correlation with BMI, waist circumference, weight, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA index), triglycerides, and leptin, and a positive correlation with FFA and vitamin-D. In the longitudinal study, the percent change in plasma ANGPTL-4 was correlated with the percent change in FFA, total-cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This study reveals a significant association of ANGPTL-4 with pediatric obesity and plasma lipid profile

Diagnóstico de producción en ganado lechero en pastoreo de un grupo ganadero de validación y transferencia de tecnología

The regionalization of framing issues for producers Livestock Group of Validation and Technology Transfer (GGAVATT) from San Jose Miahuatlán Veracruz, Mexico, under the current production of native grass prairie with mainly during the months of higher temperature have a poor performance and thus milk production declines which promotes a great use of concentrated feeds which causes an increase in production cost and less use to them. For this purpose we made a diagnosis of current conditions GGAVATT production, yielding information that helps us source and compared to determine precisely what the effect of applying the proposed alternative. We propose an alternative implementation of pastures with improved pastures needed to produce a greater amount of forage per unit area especially in the colder months.La regionalización de la problemática encuadrando a los productores del Grupo Ganadero de Validación y Transferencia de Tecnología (GGAVATT) de San José Miahuatlán Veracruz, México, bajo la actual situación de producción de praderas básicamente con gramas nativas que durante los meses de menor frío tienen un pobre desempeño y por ende la producción de leche se deteriora lo cual promueve una gran utilización de alimentos concentrados lo que provoca un incremento en el costo de producción y una menor utilidad para estos. Para dicho propósito se realizó un diagnóstico de las condiciones actuales de producción del GGAVATT, arrojando información que nos sirve de partida y de comparación para determinar con precisión cuál es el efecto de aplicar la alternativa propuesta. Se plantea como alternativa la implantación de praderas con pastos mejorados que permitan producir una mayor cantidad de forrajes por unidad de superficie sobre todo en los meses de menor temperatura

Challenge 5: Impact of global change on managed ecosystems

Topic Coordinators: María Begoña García ( IPE, CSIC ); Pedro Jordano ( EBD, CSIC )Peer reviewe