Swimming performance of <i>Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens</i> is an emergent property of its two flagellar systems

Many bacterial species use flagella for self-propulsion in aqueous media. In the soil, which is a complex and structured environment, water is found in microscopic channels where viscosity and water potential depend on the composition of the soil solution and the degree of soil water saturation. Therefore, the motility of soil bacteria might have special requirements. An important soil bacterial genus is Bradyrhizobium, with species that possess one flagellar system and others with two different flagellar systems. Among the latter is B. diazoefficiens, which may express its subpolar and lateral flagella simultaneously in liquid medium, although its swimming behaviour was not described yet. These two flagellar systems were observed here as functionally integrated in a swimming performance that emerged as an epistatic interaction between those appendages. In addition, each flagellum seemed engaged in a particular task that might be required for swimming oriented toward chemoattractants near the soil inner surfaces at viscosities that may occur after the loss of soil gravitational water. Because the possession of two flagellar systems is not general in Bradyrhizobium or in related genera that coexist in the same environment, there may be an adaptive tradeoff between energetic costs and ecological benefits among these different species.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia MolecularFacultad de IngenieríaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celula

Mineral status and interrelationship in soil, forage, and blood serum of horses in the rainy and dry seasons

The feeding and nutrition of livestock becomes less of an empirical endeavor when the information necessary to scientifically balance diets is available [1]. Equine performance is influenced by genetic, nutritional, health, and management factors. Thus, optimal nutrition is essential for a foal to achieve maximal performance. Likewise, nutrition is fundamental for husbandry purposes as several reproductive problems due to nutritional deficiencies have been identified [2].The objective was to evaluate the content of P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Fe, Zn, Se, and Mn in soil, forage, and serum of horses in several production units (PU) during rainy and dry seasons and predict their concentration in serum from their content in soil and forage. Soil and pastures were sampled in the dry (November–December) and in rainy seasons (June–July), and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of 76 horses in both seasons at four PU. The experimental design was a completely random design within a 4 2 (PU season) factorial arrangement of treatments. Concentration of minerals in soil differed (P < .05) among PU, and contents of P, Ca, Mg, and K were low; Zn and Fe were high; and Cu and Mn were adequate. Mineral concentrations in forage differed among PU and season, and among PU within season (interaction P <.05). Contents of Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, and Cu were low; Fe was high; and P, K, Se, and Mn adequate. The mineral concentration in equine blood serum differed (P <.05) among PU and season. Overall, there were deficiencies of P, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, and Se, but adequate amounts of K, Zn, and Fe. There are imbalances of minerals in soil and forages which effected their concentration inequine blood

Emotional Processing Profile in Patients with First Episode Schizophrenia:The Influence of Neurocognition

This study sought to investigate the influence of neurocognition on the emotional processing profiles of patients with first-episode schizophrenia, using the 4-branch Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) (Perceiving Emotions; Facilitating Emotions; Understanding Emotions and Managing Emotions). A sample of 78 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and a group of 90 non-psychiatric control subjects were included in this work. The initial results showed that patients had lower scores than controls for the "Understanding Emotions" and "Managing Emotions" MSCEIT branches. However, after controlling for neurocognition, the only deficits were found on the "Managing Emotions" branch of the MSCEIT. This branch can be considered as measuring a more sophisticated level of emotional processing, which may constitute a deficit in itself. In conclusion, patients with first-episode schizophrenia present deficits in social cognition at the highest level that seem to be independent from neurocognition. These findings support the inclusion of the "Managing Emotions" branch of the MSCEIT as part of the MCCB.Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI16/00359)Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI19/00766)Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD-3740)Ministry of Health (MOH-000013)4.242 JCR (2020) Q1, 39/167 Medicine, general & internal1.040 SJR (2021) Q1, 438/2489 Medicine (miscellaneous)No data IDR 2020UE

Swimming performance of <i>Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens</i> is an emergent property of its two flagellar systems

Many bacterial species use flagella for self-propulsion in aqueous media. In the soil, which is a complex and structured environment, water is found in microscopic channels where viscosity and water potential depend on the composition of the soil solution and the degree of soil water saturation. Therefore, the motility of soil bacteria might have special requirements. An important soil bacterial genus is Bradyrhizobium, with species that possess one flagellar system and others with two different flagellar systems. Among the latter is B. diazoefficiens, which may express its subpolar and lateral flagella simultaneously in liquid medium, although its swimming behaviour was not described yet. These two flagellar systems were observed here as functionally integrated in a swimming performance that emerged as an epistatic interaction between those appendages. In addition, each flagellum seemed engaged in a particular task that might be required for swimming oriented toward chemoattractants near the soil inner surfaces at viscosities that may occur after the loss of soil gravitational water. Because the possession of two flagellar systems is not general in Bradyrhizobium or in related genera that coexist in the same environment, there may be an adaptive tradeoff between energetic costs and ecological benefits among these different species.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia MolecularFacultad de IngenieríaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celula

Grupo español de cirugía torácica asistida por videoimagen: método, auditoría y resultados iniciales de una cohorte nacional prospectiva de pacientes tratados con resecciones anatómicas del pulmón

Introduction: our study sought to know the current implementation of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anatomical lung resections in Spain. We present our initial results and describe the auditing systems developed by the Spanish VATS Group (GEVATS). Methods: we conducted a prospective multicentre cohort study that included patients receiving anatomical lung resections between 12/20/2016 and 03/20/2018. The main quality controls consisted of determining the recruitment rate of each centre and the accuracy of the perioperative data collected based on six key variables. The implications of a low recruitment rate were analysed for '90-day mortality' and 'Grade IIIb-V complications'. Results: the series was composed of 3533 cases (1917 VATS; 54.3%) across 33 departments. The centres' median recruitment rate was 99% (25-75th:76-100%), with an overall recruitment rate of 83% and a data accuracy of 98%. We were unable to demonstrate a significant association between the recruitment rate and the risk of morbidity/mortality, but a trend was found in the unadjusted analysis for those centres with recruitment rates lower than 80% (centres with 95-100% rates as reference): grade IIIb-V OR=0.61 (p=0.081), 90-day mortality OR=0.46 (p=0.051). Conclusions: more than half of the anatomical lung resections in Spain are performed via VATS. According to our results, the centre's recruitment rate and its potential implications due to selection bias, should deserve further attention by the main voluntary multicentre studies of our speciality. The high representativeness as well as the reliability of the GEVATS data constitute a fundamental point of departure for this nationwide cohort

The interplay between functioning problems and symptoms in first episode of psychosis: an approach from network analysis

The relationship between psychotic symptoms and global measures of functioning has been widely studied. No previous study has assessed so far the interplay between specific clinical symptoms and particular areas of functioning in first-episode psychosis (FEP) using network analysis methods. A total of 191 patients with FEP (age 24.45 ± 6.28 years, 64.9% male) participating in an observational and longitudinal study (AGES-CM) comprised the study sample. Functioning problems were assessed with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), whereas the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Network analysis were conducted with the aim of analysing the patterns of relationships between the different dimensions of functioning and PANSS symptoms and factors at baseline. According to our results, the most important nodes were “conceptual disorganization”, “emotional withdrawal”, “lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation”, “delusions”, “unusual thought content”, “dealing with strangers” and “poor rapport”. Our findings suggest that these symptoms and functioning dimensions should be prioritized in the clinical assessment and management of patients with FEP. These areas may also become targets of future early intervention strategies, so as to improve quality of life in this populationThis work was supported by the Madrid Regional Government (R&D activities in Biomedicine (grant number S2017/BMD-3740 - AGES-CM 2-CM)) and Structural Funds of the European Union. Ana Izquierdo’s work is supported by the PFIS predoctoral program (FI17/00138) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain) and co-funded by the European Union (ERDF/ESF, "A way to make Europe”/ “Investing in your future”) and The Biomedical Research Foundation of La Princesa University Hospital. Angela Ib´a˜nez thanks the support of CIBERSAM and of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI16/00834 and PI19/01295) co-financed by ERDF Funds from the European Commission. Covadonga M. Díaz-Caneja holds a Juan Rod´es Grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (JR19/00024). Celso Arango was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (SAM16PE07CP1, PI16/02012, PI19/ 024), co-financed by ERDF Funds from the European Commission, “A way of making Europe”, CIBERSAM. Madrid Regional Government (B2017/BMD-3740 AGES-CM-2), European Union Structural Funds. European Union Seventh Framework Program under grant agreements FP7-4-HEALTH-2009-2.2.1-2-241909 (Project EU-GEI), FP7- HEALTH- 2013-2.2.1-2-603196 (Project PSYSCAN) and FP7- HEALTH-2013- 2.2.1-2-602478 (Project METSY); and European Union H2020 Program under the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (grant agreement No 115916, Project PRISM, and grant agreement No 777394, Project AIMS-2-TRIALS), Fundaci´on Familia Alonso, Fundaci´on Alicia Koplowitz and Fundaci´on Mutua Madrile˜n

Planeación, gobernanza y sustentabilidad Retos y desafíos desde el enfoque territorial

Frente a la compleja realidad actual, resulta ineludible el desarrollo de la investigación científica de los fenómenos y procesos urbanos, territoriales y ambientales, que contribuya a su comprensión y la construcción de alternativas de solución a los retos y desafíos vigentes. En este contexto, el abordaje de las ciudades y regiones metropolitanas, el ordenamiento del territorio y la ocupación del espacio, así como la relación sociedad-naturaleza y la complejidad ambiental, precisa la generación de metodologías y procesos de investigación multi e inter disciplinarios que contribuyan a la comprensión de los procesos socioterritoriales, el mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida y la conservación ambiental.Programa de Fortalecimiento de la Calidad Educativa PFCE-2016 proyecto K0313101

Cortical thinning over two years after first-episode psychosis depends on age of onset

First-episode psychosis (FEP) patients show structural brain abnormalities at the first episode. Whether the cortical changes that follow a FEP are progressive and whether age at onset modulates these changes remains unclear. This is a multicenter MRI study in a deeply phenotyped sample of 74 FEP patients with a wide age range at onset (15–35 years) and 64 neurotypical healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent two MRI scans with a 2-year follow-up interval. We computed the longitudinal percentage of change (PC) for cortical thickness (CT), surface area (CSA) and volume (CV) for frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. We used general linear models to assess group differences in PC as a function of age at FEP. We conducted post-hoc analyses for metrics where PC differed as a function of age at onset. We found a significant age-by-diagnosis interaction effect for PC of temporal lobe CT (d = 0.54; p = 002). In a post-hoc-analysis, adolescent-onset (≤19 y) FEP showed more severe longitudinal cortical thinning in the temporal lobe than adolescent HC. We did not find this difference in adult-onset FEP compared to adult HC. Our study suggests that, in individuals with psychosis, CT changes that follow the FEP are dependent on the age at first episode, with those with an earlier onset showing more pronounced cortical thinning in the temporal lobe

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London