Toxoplasma gondii in Spanish commercial dry-cured meat products

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, the transmission of which has usually been attributed to ingestion of undercooked or raw meat. Epidemiological studies also mention cured meat products as a potential risk factor for acquiring toxoplasmosis. With the aim of contributing to the risk assessment process, 552 samples of commercial dry-cured hams/shoulders and dry-cured sausages of different trademarks from different localities in Spain were randomly purchased for analysis. These were, specifically, 311 dry-cured hams/shoulders and 241 dry-cured sausages (76 samples of chorizo, 75 samples of fuet/longaniza, and 90 samples of salchichón). Additionally, data featured on labels of each meat product were gathered with the purpose of studying the influence of curing time and salt content, among other parameters, on the viability of Toxoplasma. Real-time polymerase chain reaction technique (qPCR) was performed to detect T. gondii DNA in the samples, and infectivity was determined by mouse bioassay of positive qPCR samples. The presence of T. gondii was detected in 57 samples (10.3%), with a parasite load between 28.05 and 35.66 Ct. Bioassay test showed that 47 out of the 57 meat products in which the parasite has been detected produced mice seropositive response (IFA), which represents 8.5 of the total number of samples analyzed. Of those samples, DNA of Toxoplasma gondii in mice brain was detected in 6 meat products, indicating its viability (1.1%). Ct values obtained by qPCR in the brains of seropositive mice ranged from 33.10 to 36.04. According to product type, the parasite was viable in 3 dry-cured ham/shoulder samples and in 3 salchichón samples. Statistical analysis showed that none of the variables under consideration detailed on the meat product labels had a significant influence on the viability of the parasite. In conclusion, we found a low prevalence of the infective forms of Toxoplasma gondii in cured meat products, although the risk for consumers cannot be completely excluded. However, scientific monitoring of commercial meat products continues to be necessary in order to provide data for risk assessment of Toxoplasma gondii through the meat industry's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP-based self-control system). In order to ensure that consumers can make a safe choice among these ready-to-eat products, it is important for food labels to include information on those parameters which are relevant for the survival of the parasite, such as curing times, or freezing treatment of meat used as an ingredient

A method for characterizing coplanar waveguide-to-microstrip transitions, and its application to the measurement of microstrip devices with coplanar microprobes

This paper presents a method for characterizing coplanar waveguide-to-microstrip (CPW-M) transitions by using on-wafer coplanar (CPW) microprobes. It is based on extracting the transmission matrix of the CPW-M transition from the measurement of the S parameters of two microstrip transmission lines of different lengths, each of which includes two CPW-M transitions. To verify the proposed method, the S parameters of a zero-length line, which is composed of two CPW-M transitions (thru connection) and has not been used in the transition characterization, are measured up to 40 GHz and are compared to those extracted and obtained from electromagnetic simulations. The method is applied to the measurement of a microstrip coupled-line filter embedded in CPW-M transitions.Peer Reviewe

Whole-Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genomics of Three Helicobacter pylori Strains Isolated from the Stomach of a Patient with Adenocarcinoma

Helicobacter pylori is a common pathogen associated with several severe digestive diseases. Although multiple virulence factors have been described, it is still unclear the role of virulence factors on H. pylori pathogenesis and disease progression. Whole genome sequencing could help to find genetic markers of virulence strains. In this work, we analyzed three complete genomes from isolates obtained at the same point in time from a stomach of a patient with adenocarcinoma, using multiple available bioinformatics tools. The genome analysis of the strains B508A-S1, B508A-T2A and B508A-T4 revealed that they were cagA, babA and sabB/hopO negative. The differences among the three genomes were mainly related to outer membrane proteins, methylases, restriction modification systems and flagellar biosynthesis proteins. The strain B508A-T2A was the only one presenting the genotype vacA s1, and had the most distinct genome as it exhibited fewer shared genes, higher number of unique genes, and more polymorphisms were found in this genome. With all the accumulated information, no significant differences were found among the isolates regarding virulence and origin of the isolates. Nevertheless, some B508A-T2A genome characteristics could be linked to the pathogenicity of H. pylori. Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; genomic comparison; virulence factors; gastric adenocarcinom

Grau de cohesió social al barri de Ca n'Anglada de Terrassa i la seva imatge als diaris : estudi comparatiu entre 1999 i 2019

L'any 1999 es van produir greus enfrontaments al barri de Ca n'Anglada de Terrassa entre joves de nacionalitat espanyola i joves de nacionalitat marroquina. El present treball pretén analitzar quina és la situació del barri vint anys després posant en qüestió el grau de cohesió social d'aquest en sentit objectiu. D'altra banda, els fets van ser categoritzats socialment com 'agressions racistes'; respecte a això, s'analitza quin paper van jugar els diaris en aquesta denominació realitzant una comparació entre les notícies sobre els incidents en el moment dels fets i les de vint anys després.En 1999 se produjeron graves enfrentamientos en el barrio de Ca n'Anglada de Terrassa entre jóvenes de nacionalidad española y jóvenes de nacionalidad marroquina. El presente trabajo pretende analizar la situación del barrio veinte años después, cuestionando el grado de cohesión social de este en sentido objetivo. Por otro lado, los hechos fueron categorizados socialmente como 'agresiones racistas'; respecto esto, se analiza el papel desempeñado por los periódicos en esta denominación realizando una comparación entre las noticias sobre los incidentes en el momento de los hechos y las de veinte años después.In 1999 there were serious clashes in the Ca n'Anglada neighbourhood of Terrassa between young people of Spanish nationality and young people of Moroccan nationality. The present work aims to analyse the situation of the neighbourhood twenty years later, questioning the level of social cohesion in an objective sense. On the other hand, the facts were socially categorized as 'racist aggressions'. In this respect, the role played by newspapers in this denomination is analysed by comparing the news about the incidents at the time of the events with those of twenty years later

Uses of digital platforms in Higher Education from the perspectives of the educational research

[EN] The University is currently a complex and a key system for the development of the scientific knowledge and the training of future professional workers. It is happening a global digital inclusion, specifically in the university context. This digital transformation is defined in different types of resources. The use of digital platforms is one of the clearest mainstreaming. The digital innovation at universities points out a challenge to their community. The challenge at the institutions consists of transforming the face-to-face training model into a flexible model, even a mixed model combining face-to-face with online training. In fact, it is necessary to talk about a change of paradigm when we conceptualise the university training towards new approaches in order to search for a sustainable teaching. This contribution aims to show the newest aspects from the educational research about the changes in the Spanish university teaching. From the different reviewed reports, it is added some data about the implementation of virtual or digital platforms into the Spanish university system. This review affirms the generalised use of this type of resource. There are other analysed aspects about the impact of this technological tool to the teaching. Some proposals are added to consider in future lines of research, such us the emerging technologies which start to be used in educational contexts. We talk about learning analytics, makerspaces, active learning or adaptative learning. In short, it is affirmed the technological transformation towards the improvement of a more scalable and sustainable system.[ES] La universidad constituye un sistema complejo, que resulta clave para el desarrollo del conocimiento científico y la formación de profesionales. La integración digital que se está implantando a nivel global también se está produciendo en las instituciones universitarias. Esta transformación digital se viene concretando en diferentes desarrollos, siendo el del uso de plataformas digitales uno de los más evidentes. La innovación digital de las universidades plantea el reto a sus responsables de reconvertir a estas organizaciones, caracterizadas por un modelo formativo basado en la presencialidad, por otro más flexible o mixto en el que coexisten la actividad presencial y en línea (a distancia). De hecho, cabe hablar de un cambio de paradigma en la concepción de la formación universitaria, que se reorienta hacia nuevos enfoques, buscando una enseñanza más sostenible. Este texto plantea una puesta al día sobre lo que la investigación educativa nos aporta sobre estos cambios en la docencia universitaria española. A partir de diferentes informes consultados, se aportan una serie de datos sobre la implantación de las plataformas digitales o virtuales en el sistema universitario español, confirmando su uso generalizado. También se analizan algunos aspectos sobre el impacto que estas tecnologías aportan a la docencia. Además, se hacen algunas consideraciones de carácter prospectivo, y en esta línea se identifican algunas tecnologías emergentes que comienzan a ser empleadas en entornos educativos tales como: Learning Analytics, Makerspaces, Active Learning o Adaptative Learning. En síntesis, se constata una transformación tecnológica orientada a favorecer un aprendizaje más escalable y sostenible.De Pablos, J.; Colás, M.; López Gracia, A.; García-Lázaro, I. (2019). Los usos de las plataformas digitales en la enseñanza universitaria. Perspectivas desde la investigación educativa. REDU. Revista de Docencia Universitaria. 17(1):59-72. https://doi.org/10.4995/redu.2019.11177SWORD597217

Usefulness of Housekeeping Genes for the Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection, Strain Discrimination and Detection of Multiple Infection

Background: Helicobacter pylori infects human stomachs of over half the world's population, evades the immune response and establishes a chronic infection. Although most people remains asymptomatic, duodenal and gastric ulcers, MALT lymphoma and progression to gastric cancer could be developed. Several virulence factors such as flagella, lipopolysaccharide, adhesins and especially the vacuolating cytotoxin VacA and the oncoprotein CagA have been described for H. pylori. Despite the extensive published data on H. pylori, more research is needed to determine new virulence markers, the exact mode of transmission or the role of multiple infection. Materials and Methods: Amplification and sequencing of six housekeeping genes (amiA, cgt, cpn60, cpn70, dnaJ, and luxS) related to H. pylori pathogenesis have been performed in order to evaluate their usefulness for the specific detection of H. pylori, the genetic discrimination at strain level and the detection of multiple infection. A total of 52 H. pylori clones, isolated from 14 gastric biopsies from 11 patients, were analyzed for this purpose. Results: All genes were specifically amplified for H. pylori and all clones isolated from different patients were discriminated, with gene distances ranged from 0.9 to 7.8%. Although most clones isolated from the same patient showed identical gene sequences, an event of multiple infection was detected in all the genes and microevolution events were showed for amiA and cpn60 genes. Conclusions: These results suggested that housekeeping genes could be useful for H. pylori detection and to elucidate the mode of transmission and the relevance of the multiple infection

The fast-growing Brucella suis Biovar 5 depends on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvate phosphate dikinase but not on Fbp and GlpX fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatases or isocitrate lyase for full virulence in laboratory models

Bacteria of the genus Brucella infect a range of vertebrates causing a worldwide extended zoonosis. The best-characterized brucellae infect domestic livestock, behaving as stealthy facultative intracellular parasites. This stealthiness depends on envelope molecules with reduced pathogen-associated molecular patterns, as revealed by the low lethality and ability to persist in mice of these bacteria. Infected cells are often engorged with brucellae without signs of distress, suggesting that stealthiness could also reflect an adaptation of the parasite metabolism to use local nutrients without harming the cell. To investigate this, we compared key metabolic abilities of Brucella abortus 2308 Wisconsin (2308W), a cattle biovar 1 virulent strain, and B. suis 513, the reference strain of the ancestral biovar 5 found in wild rodents. B. suis 513 used a larger number of C substrates and showed faster growth rates in vitro, two features similar to those of B. microti, a species phylogenomically close to B. suis biovar 5 that infects voles. However, whereas B. microti shows enhanced lethality and reduced persistence in mice, B. suis 513 was similar to B. abortus 2308W in this regard. Mutant analyses showed that B. suis 513 and B. abortus 2308W were similar in that both depend on phosphoenolpyruvate synthesis for virulence but not on the classical gluconeogenic fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatases Fbp-GlpX or on isocitrate lyase (AceA). However, B. suis 513 used pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PpdK) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PckA) for phosphoenolpyruvate synthesis in vitro while B. abortus 2308W used only PpdK. Moreover, whereas PpdK dysfunction causes attenuation of B. abortus 2308W in mice, in B. suis, 513 attenuation occurred only in the double PckA-PpdK mutant. Also contrary to what occurs in B. abortus 2308, a B. suis 513 malic enzyme (Mae) mutant was not attenuated, and this independence of Mae and the role of PpdK was confirmed by the lack of attenuation of a double Mae-PckA mutant. Altogether, these results decouple fast growth rates from enhanced mouse lethality in the brucellae and suggest that an Fbp-GlpX-independent gluconeogenic mechanism is ancestral in this group and show differences in central C metabolic steps that may reflect a progressive adaptation to intracellular growth

Detection of Helicobacter pylori Microevolution and Multiple Infection from Gastric Biopsies by Housekeeping Gene Amplicon Sequencing

Despite the great efforts devoted to research on Helicobacter pylori, the prevalence of single-strain infection or H. pylori mixed infection and its implications in the mode of transmission of this bacterium are still controversial. In this study, we explored the usefulness of housekeeping gene amplicon sequencing in the detection of H. pylori microevolution and multiple infections. DNA was extracted from five gastric biopsies from four patients infected with distinct histopathological diagnoses. PCR amplification of six H. pylori-specific housekeeping genes was then assessed on each sample. Optimal results were obtained for the cgt and luxS genes, which were selected for amplicon sequencing. A total of 11,833 cgt and 403 luxS amplicon sequences were obtained, 2042 and 112 of which were unique sequences, respectively. All cgt and luxS sequences were clustered at 97% to 9 and 13 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), respectively. For each sample from a different patient, a single OTU comprised the majority of sequences in both genes, but more than one OTU was detected in all samples. These results suggest that multiple infections with a predominant strain together with other minority strains are the main way by which H. pylori colonizes the human stomach