Seed treatments with Bacillus species induce a beneficial metabolic reprogramming in melon plants

Plant-beneficial microbes are known to provide multifaceted traits to the plant health. Among them, Bacillus species are commonly detected members of the plant holobiont which have been described as stimulators of seed germination, plant growth and the defense against phytopathogens. In this work we describe, with the utilization of untargeted metabolomics and bioinformatic tools as GNPS, MolNetEnhancer and MZmine, the different metabolomic patterns found according to the elderly of the leaves. In addition, we compare the metabolomic profile of plants emerged from seeds bacterized with B. subtilis and B. velezensis identifying tryptophan, a chlorophyll A analog and flavonoids as key metabolites in the specific response of each bacterium against abiotic stresses.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Fathoming the interaction between secondary metabolites of phylogenetically related Bacillus species and the plant metabolome.

Plant-beneficial microbes are known to provide multifaceted traits that contribute to plant health. Bacillus species, frequently found within the plant holobiont, are known to enhance seed germination, promote plant growth, and bolster defense mechanisms against phytopathogens[1], although the molecular shifts underlying these processes remain unstudied. Previous data has shed light on the topic, concluding that seed treatments lead to metabolic changes in adult plants. In this process the extracellular matrix component of Bacillus subtilis, TasA, and fengycin, a secondary metabolite, play crucial roles[2]. In this study, we hypothesize that this metabolic reprogramming at the seed level is conserved among closely related Bacillus species, while differences may arise from variations in secondary metabolite production. To evaluate this, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the metabolic profile of whole plants emerging from seeds treated with either Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus velezensis. We also analyzed the role of bacillomycin, a secondary metabolite mainly produced by the latter. We describe the different metabolomic patterns found in different parts of the plant, focusing specifically on leaves and stem sections, identifying tryptophan and alkaloids, in the case of B. subtilis, and a shift in the pool of lipids, for B. velezensis, as key metabolites in the specific response of each bacterium. Ultimately, we evaluated different abiotic and biotic stressors on plants emerging from treated seeds, finding an enhancement of the resistance of the adult plants in all cases. Moreover, plants emerging from seeds treated with B. velezensis exhibit a slowed-down program of development that does not compromise their favorable response to stressors. These findings suggest that two different plant growth and resistance developmental programs, triggered by closely related Bacillus species, may converge toward a common goal.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Boceprevir plus pegylated interferon/ribavirin to re-treat hepatitis C virus genotype 1 in HIV-HCV co-infected patients: final results of the Spanish BOC HIV-HCV Study

Introduction Boceprevir (BOC) was one of the first oral inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease to be developed. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of BOC + pegylated interferon-α2a/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) in the retreatment of HIV-HCV co-infected patients with HCV genotype 1. Methods This was a phase III prospective trial. HIV-HCV (genotype 1) co-infected patients from 16 hospitals in Spain were included. These patients received 4 weeks of PEG-IFN/RBV (lead-in), followed by response-guided therapy with PEG-IFN/RBV plus BOC (a fixed 44 weeks was indicated in the case of cirrhosis). The primary endpoint was the sustained virological response (SVR) rate at 24 weeks post-treatment. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in all patients who received at least one dose of the study drug. Results From June 2013 to April 2014, 102 patients were enrolled, 98 of whom received at least one treatment dose. Seventy-three percent were male, 34% were cirrhotic, 23% had IL28b CC, 65% had genotype 1a, and 41% were previous null responders. The overall SVR rate was 67%. Previous null-responders and cirrhotic patients had lower SVR rates (57% and 51%, respectively). Seventy-six patients (78%) completed the therapy scheme; the most common reasons for discontinuation were lack of response at week 12 (12 patients) and adverse events (six patients). Conclusions Response-guided therapy with BOC in combination with PEG-IFN/RBV led to an overall SVR rate of 67%, but an SVR rate of only 51% in patients with cirrhosis. The therapy was generally well tolerated. Although the current standards of care do not include BOC + PEG-IFN/RBV, the authors believe that this combination can be beneficial in situations where new HCV direct antiviral agent interferon-free therapies are not available yet

Height and timing of growth spurt during puberty in young people living with vertically acquired HIV in Europe and Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe growth during puberty in young people with vertically acquired HIV. DESIGN: Pooled data from 12 paediatric HIV cohorts in Europe and Thailand. METHODS: One thousand and ninety-four children initiating a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or boosted protease inhibitor based regimen aged 1-10 years were included. Super Imposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR) models described growth from age 8 years using three parameters (average height, timing and shape of the growth spurt), dependent on age and height-for-age z-score (HAZ) (WHO references) at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Multivariate regression explored characteristics associated with these three parameters. RESULTS: At ART initiation, median age and HAZ was 6.4 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.8, 9.0] years and -1.2 (IQR: -2.3 to -0.2), respectively. Median follow-up was 9.1 (IQR: 6.9, 11.4) years. In girls, older age and lower HAZ at ART initiation were independently associated with a growth spurt which occurred 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.20-0.62) years later in children starting ART age 6 to 10 years compared with 1 to 2 years and 1.50 (1.21-1.78) years later in those starting with HAZ less than -3 compared with HAZ at least -1. Later growth spurts in girls resulted in continued height growth into later adolescence. In boys starting ART with HAZ less than -1, growth spurts were later in children starting ART in the oldest age group, but for HAZ at least -1, there was no association with age. Girls and boys who initiated ART with HAZ at least -1 maintained a similar height to the WHO reference mean. CONCLUSION: Stunting at ART initiation was associated with later growth spurts in girls. Children with HAZ at least -1 at ART initiation grew in height at the level expected in HIV negative children of a comparable age

Marco activo de recursos de innovación docente: Madrid

Una guía de espacios e instituciones para actividades educativas complementarias en enseñanza secundaria y Formación Profesional

Principal component analysis as an efficient method for capturing multivariate brain signatures of complex disorders—ENIGMA study in people with bipolar disorders and obesity

Multivariate techniques better fit the anatomy of complex neuropsychiatric disorders which are characterized not by alterations in a single region, but rather by variations across distributed brain networks. Here, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify patterns of covariance across brain regions and relate them to clinical and demographic variables in a large generalizable dataset of individuals with bipolar disorders and controls. We then compared performance of PCA and clustering on identical sample to identify which methodology was better in capturing links between brain and clinical measures. Using data from the ENIGMA-BD working group, we investigated T1-weighted structural MRI data from 2436 participants with BD and healthy controls, and applied PCA to cortical thickness and surface area measures. We then studied the association of principal components with clinical and demographic variables using mixed regression models. We compared the PCA model with our prior clustering analyses of the same data and also tested it in a replication sample of 327 participants with BD or schizophrenia and healthy controls. The first principal component, which indexed a greater cortical thickness across all 68 cortical regions, was negatively associated with BD, BMI, antipsychotic medications, and age and was positively associated with Li treatment. PCA demonstrated superior goodness of fit to clustering when predicting diagnosis and BMI. Moreover, applying the PCA model to the replication sample yielded significant differences in cortical thickness between healthy controls and individuals with BD or schizophrenia. Cortical thickness in the same widespread regional network as determined by PCA was negatively associated with different clinical and demographic variables, including diagnosis, age, BMI, and treatment with antipsychotic medications or lithium. PCA outperformed clustering and provided an easy-to-use and interpret method to study multivariate associations between brain structure and system-level variables. Practitioner Points: In this study of 2770 Individuals, we confirmed that cortical thickness in widespread regional networks as determined by principal component analysis (PCA) was negatively associated with relevant clinical and demographic variables, including diagnosis, age, BMI, and treatment with antipsychotic medications or lithium. Significant associations of many different system-level variables with the same brain network suggest a lack of one-to-one mapping of individual clinical and demographic factors to specific patterns of brain changes. PCA outperformed clustering analysis in the same data set when predicting group or BMI, providing a superior method for studying multivariate associations between brain structure and system-level variables.</p

Principal component analysis as an efficient method for capturing multivariate brain signatures of complex disorders—ENIGMA study in people with bipolar disorders and obesity

Multivariate techniques better fit the anatomy of complex neuropsychiatric disorders which are characterized not by alterations in a single region, but rather by variations across distributed brain networks. Here, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify patterns of covariance across brain regions and relate them to clinical and demographic variables in a large generalizable dataset of individuals with bipolar disorders and controls. We then compared performance of PCA and clustering on identical sample to identify which methodology was better in capturing links between brain and clinical measures. Using data from the ENIGMA-BD working group, we investigated T1-weighted structural MRI data from 2436 participants with BD and healthy controls, and applied PCA to cortical thickness and surface area measures. We then studied the association of principal components with clinical and demographic variables using mixed regression models. We compared the PCA model with our prior clustering analyses of the same data and also tested it in a replication sample of 327 participants with BD or schizophrenia and healthy controls. The first principal component, which indexed a greater cortical thickness across all 68 cortical regions, was negatively associated with BD, BMI, antipsychotic medications, and age and was positively associated with Li treatment. PCA demonstrated superior goodness of fit to clustering when predicting diagnosis and BMI. Moreover, applying the PCA model to the replication sample yielded significant differences in cortical thickness between healthy controls and individuals with BD or schizophrenia. Cortical thickness in the same widespread regional network as determined by PCA was negatively associated with different clinical and demographic variables, including diagnosis, age, BMI, and treatment with antipsychotic medications or lithium. PCA outperformed clustering and provided an easy-to-use and interpret method to study multivariate associations between brain structure and system-level variables. Practitioner Points: In this study of 2770 Individuals, we confirmed that cortical thickness in widespread regional networks as determined by principal component analysis (PCA) was negatively associated with relevant clinical and demographic variables, including diagnosis, age, BMI, and treatment with antipsychotic medications or lithium. Significant associations of many different system-level variables with the same brain network suggest a lack of one-to-one mapping of individual clinical and demographic factors to specific patterns of brain changes. PCA outperformed clustering analysis in the same data set when predicting group or BMI, providing a superior method for studying multivariate associations between brain structure and system-level variables.</p

Alignment of the CMS silicon tracker during commissioning with cosmic rays

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS silicon tracker, consisting of 1440 silicon pixel and 15 148 silicon strip detector modules, has been aligned using more than three million cosmic ray charged particles, with additional information from optical surveys. The positions of the modules were determined with respect to cosmic ray trajectories to an average precision of 3–4 microns RMS in the barrel and 3–14 microns RMS in the endcap in the most sensitive coordinate. The results have been validated by several studies, including laser beam cross-checks, track fit self-consistency, track residuals in overlapping module regions, and track parameter resolution, and are compared with predictions obtained from simulation. Correlated systematic effects have been investigated. The track parameter resolutions obtained with this alignment are close to the design performance.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Commissioning and performance of the CMS pixel tracker with cosmic ray muons

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published verion of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe pixel detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment consists of three barrel layers and two disks for each endcap. The detector was installed in summer 2008, commissioned with charge injections, and operated in the 3.8 T magnetic field during cosmic ray data taking. This paper reports on the first running experience and presents results on the pixel tracker performance, which are found to be in line with the design specifications of this detector. The transverse impact parameter resolution measured in a sample of high momentum muons is 18 microns.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Performance of the CMS drift-tube chamber local trigger with cosmic rays

The performance of the Local Trigger based on the drift-tube system of the CMS experiment has been studied using muons from cosmic ray events collected during the commissioning of the detector in 2008. The properties of the system are extensively tested and compared with the simulation. The effect of the random arrival time of the cosmic rays on the trigger performance is reported, and the results are compared with the design expectations for proton-proton collisions and with previous measurements obtained with muon beams