Biodiversity of Bacteriocin-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria from Mexican Regional Cheeses and their Contribution to Milk Fermentation

The aim of this work was to examine the biodiversity of bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria from homemade cheeses produced in Veracruz (México) and assess their contribution as adjunct cultures in dairy products. Ninety-three presumptive bacteriocinogenic strains were detected by direct antagonism assays and 29 of them were active against Enterococcus faecalis NRRL-B537, Listeria innocua 062 AST, or Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19115 by the well diffusion test using cell-free supernatants, adjusted to pH 6.0 to exclude inhibition by organic acids. Positive isolates were identified by partial sequencing of the 16s rDNA as Pediococcus acidilactici (four isolates), Enterococcus faecium (17 isolates), Lactobacillus plantarum (six isolates) and Lactobacillus fermentum (two isolates). RAPD-PCR discriminated seven groups with a 50% similarity and revealed the presence of the same isolates. The coding genes for the synthesis of plantaricin EF, plantaricin JK, plantaricin N, plantaricin NC8 and the inducing peptide plantaricin A were detected by PCR in L. plantarum. Similarly, enterocin P and pediocin PA-1 genes were amplified from Enterococcus and Pediococcus genomic DNA, respectively. Overall, co-culturing of bacteriocin producing Lactobacillus and Pediococcus strains with the dairy starter Lactococcus lactis IPLA947 did not interfere with milk acidification. Lactose consumption, acidification rate and production of lactic acid were unchanged. Nonetheless, higher levels of acetic acid, ethanol and succinic acid were detected depending on the strain. Our results demonstrate the diversity of bacteriocinogenic species in homemade Mexican cheeses which may be used as adjunct cultures to enhancing safety of this well-appreciated cheese while providing a richer range of metabolites.This work was supported by Tecnológico Nacional de México (5486.14.15-P), the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología -CONACYT) and partially by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (MINECO) through grant BIO2013-46266-R. Funding by GRUPIN14-139 Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación 2013-2017 (Principado de Asturias, Spain), supported by FEDER EU funds, is also acknowledged. S. Portilla-Vázquez held a CONACYT fellowship as well as an i-COOP mobility grant COOPA20015 funded by Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain.Peer reviewe

Incremento del número de estudiantes del género femenino egresados de la carrera de medicina veterinaria en GuatemalaIncrease in the number of female students graduated from the career of veterinary medicine in Guatemala

La Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (Usac) desde el año 2006 implementó una política de equidad de género. Un rasgo cuantitativo de equidad es la cantidad de estudiantes del género masculino y femenino participando en educación superior. El Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE, 2013) y algunos autores afirman que existen proporciones similares de ambos géneros egresando de universidades guatemaltecas. El presente estudio exploró si la cantidad de estudiantes según género se mantiene en similares proporciones a nivel de profesiones específicas, para el caso particular de medicina veterinaria y zootecnia. Se verificaron los registros de tesis de los años 2000-2017 de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, describiendo la proporción de egresados según género. Se analizaron 771 tesis, observando que el 74.5% pertenecen a egresados de veterinaria y 25.4% a egresados de zootecnia.Anualmente en promedio egresaron 32 veterinarios y 11 zootecnistas. Los datos sugieren que en la carrera de medicina veterinaria existe un aumento en el número de estudiantes del género femenino, aproximándose a la proporción de alumnos del género masculino. En el caso de la carrera de zootecnia, se estima que únicamente la tercera parte de estudiantes corresponde al género femenino.Un análisis categórico sugiere que el género femenino está asociado de medicina veterinaria y el género masculino a zootecnia. Se discuten brevemente las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para ambas profesiones y se evidencia la necesidad de ampliar los datos generados en materia de equidad y paridad de género en la educación superior en estas carreras profesionales

Validation of the GAEU-1 Acale to Assess the Learning Management of University Students

Introduction: The self-management of university learning encompasses a series of aspects that allow students to be conscious and autonomous in their professional training. Objective: In this article, we present the process of creation and validation of a scale to assess essential factors of this phenomenon: self-management of learning, conscious motivation strategies for learning, perception of academic performance, and techniques for deep learning. Method: The design is a cross-sectional quantitative process with the purpose of carrying out validity and reliability analysis of a psychological measurement instrument. The research was conducted with 1373 university students from Chile and Ecuador. Results: The scale consists of 19 items that conform the four factors mentioned and whose results indicate adequate psychometric properties, allowing it to be applied in the Latin American context. Novelty:This research proposes a new instrument to assess the self-management of the university learning process, which contributes to carrying out new research in the university educational context. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-SIED2-019 Full Text: PD

Mural Endocarditis: The GAMES Registry Series and Review of the Literature

Introduction Mural infective endocarditis (MIE) is a rare type of endovascular infection. We present a comprehensive series of patients with mural endocarditis. Method sPatients with infectious endocarditis (IE) from 35 Spanish hospitals were prospectively included in the GAMES registry between 2008 and 2017. MIEs were compared to non-MIEs. We also performed a literature search for cases of MIE published between 1979 and 2019 and compared them to the GAMEs series. Results Twenty-seven MIEs out of 3676 IEs were included. When compared to valvular IE (VIE) or device-associated IE (DIE), patients with MIE were younger (median age 59 years, p < 0.01). Transplantation (18.5% versus 1.6% VIE and 2% DIE, p < 0.01), hemodialysis (18.5% versus 4.3% VIE and 4.4% DIE, p = 0.006), catheter source (59.3% versus 9.7% VIE and 8.8% DIE, p < 0.01) and Candida etiology (22.2% versus 2% DIE and 1.2% VIE, p < 0.01) were more common in MIE, whereas the Charlson Index was lower (4 versus 5 in non-MIE, p = 0.006). Mortality was similar.MIE from the literature shared many characteristics with MIE from GAMES, although patients were younger (45 years vs. 56 years, p < 0.001), the Charlson Index was lower (1.3 vs. 4.3, p = 0.0001), catheter source was less common (13.9% vs. 59.3%) and there were more IVDUs (25% vs. 3.7%). S. aureus was the most frequent microorganism (50%, p = 0.035). Systemic complications were more common but mortality was similar. Conclusion MIE is a rare entity. It is often a complication of catheter use, particularly in immunocompromised and hemodialysis patients. Fungal etiology is common. Mortality is similar to other IEs

Borg’s category ratio-scale (CR-10) is useful to predict the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) in young Mexicans adults, regardless their body mass

Objetivo: evaluar el valor predictivo de la escala de Borg (CR-10; 1-10) para el inicio de la acumulación de lactato en sangre (OBLA). Métodos: 91 jóvenes mexicanos realizaron tres pruebas de ejercicio submáximas no consecutivas. La frecuencia cardíaca (FC), el lactato en sangre y el consumo de oxígeno se registraron en cada determinación del CR-10. Se calcularon ecuaciones de regresión y los puntos de corte de FC y al OBLA. Resultados: La FC (86 lat/min) y el CR-10 (4.5) predijeron el OBLA con la misma certeza, independientemente de la masa corporal del sujeto. CR-10, la FC y el consumo de oxígeno explicaron independientemente más de 60% de la varianza asociada al OBLA. Conclusiones: CR-10 es útil para predecir el OBLA con casi la misma certeza que la FC, independientemente de la masa corporal del sujeto. Introductio

Characteristics and outcome of Streptococcus pneumoniae endocarditis in the XXI Century: a systematic review of 111 cases (2000-2013)

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an infrequent cause of severe infectious endocarditis (IE). The aim of our study was to describe the epidemiology, clinical and microbiological characteristics, and outcome of a series of cases of S. pneumoniae IE diagnosed in Spain and in a series of cases published since 2000 in the medical literature. We prospectively collected all cases of IE diagnosed in a multicenter cohort of patients from 27 Spanish hospitals (n = 2539). We also performed a systematic review of the literature since 2000 and retrieved all cases with complete clinical data using a pre-established protocol. Predictors of mortality were identified using a logistic regression model. We collected 111 cases of pneumococcal IE: 24 patients from the Spanish cohort and 87 cases from the literature review. Median age was 51 years, and 23 patients (20.7%) were under 15 years. Men accounted for 64% of patients, and infection was community-acquired in 96.4% of cases. The most important underlying conditions were liver disease (27.9%) and immunosuppression (10.8%). A predisposing heart condition was present in only 18 patients (16.2%). Pneumococcal IE affected a native valve in 93.7% of patients. Left-sided endocarditis predominated (aortic valve 53.2% and mitral valve 40.5%). The microbiological diagnosis was obtained from blood cultures in 84.7% of cases. In the Spanish cohort, nonsusceptibility to penicillin was detected in 4.2%. The most common clinical manifestations included fever (71.2%), a new heart murmur (55%), pneumonia (45.9%), meningitis (40.5%), and Austrian syndrome (26.1%). Cardiac surgery was performed in 47.7% of patients. The in-hospital mortality rate was 20.7%. The multivariate analysis revealed the independent risk factors for mortality to be meningitis (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.4-12.9; P < 0.01). Valve surgery was protective (OR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.04-0.4; P < 0.01). Streptococcus pneumoniae IE is a community-acquired disease that mainly affects native aortic valves. Half of the cases in the present study had concomitant pneumonia, and a considerable number developed meningitis. Mortality was high, mainly in patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Surgery was protective

Prognostic factors of Infective Endocarditis in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Case Series from a National Multicenter Registry.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe complication associated with high mortality. Objectives: To examine the clinical characteristics of IE in hemodialysis (HD) patients and to determine prognostic factors related to HD. Methods: From January 2008 to April 2015, 2,488 consecutive patients with definite IE were included. Clinical characteristics of IE patients on HD were compared with those of IE patients who were not on HD. Results: A total of 126 patients (63% male, median age: 66 years; IQR: 54-74 years) with IE (5.1%) were on HD. Fifty-two patients died during hospitalization (41%) and 17 additional patients (14%) died during the first year. The rate of patients who underwent surgery during hospitalization was lower in HD patients (38 patients, 30%) than in non-HD patients (1,177 patients, 50%; p 70 years (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.7-10), heart failure (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7-6), central nervous system (CNS) vascular events (OR: 6.7, 95% CI: 2.1-22) and septic shock (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.4-12.1) were independently associated with fatal outcome in HD patients. Of the 38 patients who underwent surgery, 15 (39.5%) died during hospitalization. Conclusions. HD patients with IE present a high mortality. Advanced age and complications, such as heart failure, CNS stroke or septic shock, are associated with mortality.pre-print714 K

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Streptococcus tigurinus endocarditis

Background: Streptococcus tigurinus was recently described as a new streptococcal species within the viridans group streptococci (VGS). The objectives of the present work were to analyse the clinical and microbiological characteristics of S. tigurinus isolated from patients with bacteraemias, to determine the prevalence of S. tigurinus among VGS endocarditis in Spain, and to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of endocarditis caused by S. tigurinus and other VGS. Methods: Retrospective nationwide study, performed between 2008 and 2016 in 9 Spanish hospitals from 7 different provinces comprising 237 cases of infective endocarditis. Streptococcal isolates were identified by sequencing fragments of their 16S rRNA, sodA and groEL genes. Clinical data of patients with streptococcal endocarditis were prospectively collected according to a pre-established protocol. Results: Patients with endocarditis represented 7/9 (77.8%) and 26/86 (30.2%) of the bacteraemias caused by S. tigurinus and other VGS, respectively (p < 0.001), in two of the hospital participants. Among patients with streptococcal endocarditis, 12 different Streptococcus species were recognized being S. oralis, S. tigurinus and S. mitis the three more common. No relevant statistical differences were observed in the clinical characteristics and outcomes of endocarditis caused by the different VGS species. Conclusions: In this multicenter study performed in Spain, S. tigurinus showed a higher predilection for the endocardial endothelium as compared to other VGS. However, clinical characteristics and outcomes of endocarditis caused by S. tigurinus did not significantly differ from endocarditis caused by other oral streptococci.JMM received a personal 80:20 research grant from the Institut d’InvestigacionsBiomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain during 2017–19. Nofunding entity played any role in the design of the study and data collection,analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Rare and low-frequency coding variants alter human adult height

Height is a highly heritable, classic polygenic trait with ~700 common associated variants identified so far through genome - wide association studies . Here , we report 83 height - associated coding variants with lower minor allele frequenc ies ( range of 0.1 - 4.8% ) and effects of up to 2 16 cm /allele ( e.g. in IHH , STC2 , AR and CRISPLD2 ) , >10 times the average effect of common variants . In functional follow - up studies, rare height - increasing alleles of STC2 (+1 - 2 cm/allele) compromise d proteolytic inhibition of PAPP - A and increased cleavage of IGFBP - 4 in vitro , resulting in higher bioavailability of insulin - like growth factors . The se 83 height - associated variants overlap genes mutated in monogenic growth disorders and highlight new biological candidates ( e.g. ADAMTS3, IL11RA, NOX4 ) and pathways ( e.g . proteoglycan/ glycosaminoglycan synthesis ) involved in growth . Our results demonstrate that sufficiently large sample sizes can uncover rare and low - frequency variants of moderate to large effect associated with polygenic human phenotypes , and that these variants implicate relevant genes and pathways