Booster effect after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in immunocompromised hematology patients with prior COVID-19

Patients with hematological malignancies have been excluded from the new zoonotic coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2]) vaccine trials despite being at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19)-related mortality. However, most health authorities worldwide have designated these patients as a priority for COVID-19 vaccination, even in the absence of efficacy data in these highly immunosuppressed patients. In addition, on 12 August 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in immunocompromised individuals, such as solid organ transplant recipients or equivalently immunosuppressed patients

Severity of bovine tuberculosis is associated with co-infection with common pathogens in wild boar

Co-infections with parasites or viruses drive tuberculosis dynamics in humans, but little is known about their effects in other non-human hosts. This work aims to investigate the relationship between Mycobacterium bovis infection and other pathogens in wild boar (Sus scrofa), a recognized reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Mediterranean ecosystems. For this purpose, it has been assessed whether contacts with common concomitant pathogens are associated with the development of severe bTB lesions in 165 wild boar from mid-western Spain. The presence of bTB lesions affecting only one anatomic location (cervical lymph nodes), or more severe patterns affecting more than one location (mainly cervical lymph nodes and lungs), was assessed in infected animals. In addition, the existence of contacts with other pathogens such as porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), swine influenza virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis and Metastrongylus spp, was evaluated by means of serological, microbiological and parasitological techniques. The existence of contacts with a structured community of pathogens in wild boar infected by M. bovis was statistically investigated by null models. Association between this community of pathogens and bTB severity was examined using a Partial Least Squares regression approach. Results showed that adult wild boar infected by M. bovis had contacted with some specific, non-random pathogen combinations. Contact with PCV2, ADV and infection by Metastrongylus spp, was positively correlated to tuberculosis severity. Therefore, measures against these concomitant pathogens such as vaccination or deworming, might be useful in tuberculosis control programmes in the wild boar. However, given the unexpected consequences of altering any community of organisms, further research should evaluate the impact of such measures under controlled conditions. Furthermore, more research including other important pathogens, such as gastro-intestinal nematodes, will be necessary to complete this picture

Onychomadesis after a hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak in Spain, 2009.

Few reports exist regarding the association between onychomadesis and an enterovirus infection presenting clinically as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). In February 2009, an outbreak of HFMD occurred in a Spanish nursery school, followed by onychomadesis 36-69 days later. Twelve of 17 children with HFMD developed nail shedding; enterovirus was detected in stool samples from eight (47%) of the 17. However, in only three of the children could an enterovirus serotype coxsackievirus B1 be identified. The epidemiological results of this study confirm onychomadesis as a complication in HFMD. In future outbreaks, molecular characterization of enterovirus from appropriate clinical samples should be studied.We thank Isidoro Bustillo, Almudena Otero and Hortensia del Pozo for their technical assistance and Ingrid M. Outschoorn for text editing. This study was funded in part by grant DGEG-1304/08 from the Spanish Ministry of Health.S

Evaluación de las actividades biológicas de los extractos de Apium graveolens frente a la Helicobacter pylori

Trabajo presentado a las IV Jornadas Científicas CIAL-Forum, celebradas en Madrid los días 19 y 20 de octubre de 2023.Peer reviewe

Dependence on crystal parameters of the correlation time between signal and idler beams in parametric down conversion calculated in the Wigner representation

The theory of parametric down conversion within the framework of the Wigner representation has been treated recently in a series of papers using the standard model Hamiltonian. Here we take a more fundamental point of view studying the mechanism, inside the crystal, for the production of the signal and idler beams. We begin from the evolution equations for the quantum field operators, pass to the Wigner function and solve the resulting (Maxwell) equations with the use of the Green's function method. We derive the time dependence of the coincidence detection probability as a function of the parameters of the nonlinear crystal (in particular the length) the radius of the pumping beam, and the bandwidth of the filters in front of the detectors

Obtención de extractos ricos en compuestos bioactivos a partir de Apium graveolens y estudio de sus actividades biológicas

Resumen del trabajo presentado a las IV Jornadas Científicas CIAL-Forum, celebradas en Madrid los días 19 y 20 de octubre de 2023.El interés por la investigación de las propiedades beneficiosas para la salud que presentan las plantas ha aumentado considerablemente debido a los numerosos compuestos bioactivos que poseen relacionados con actividades antioxidantes, anti-inflamatorias o antibacterianas, entre otras. En este trabajo, ha sido objeto de estudio la obtención de extractos enriquecidos en compuestos bioactivos de semillas de apio (Apium graveolens) para su potencial uso como ingrediente de un alimento o en la formulación de un nutraceútico con propiedades beneficiosas para la salud. Los extractos fueron obtenidos con diferentes disolventes mediante la técnica de extracción sólido-líquido asistida con ultrasonidos y se determinó de ellos tanto la composición química como las actividades biológicas antioxidante, anti-inflamatoria y antibacteriana frente a una cepa específica de Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Los resultados mostraron que la composición química de los extractos variaba en función de la polaridad del disolvente empleado y, por tanto, también su actividad biológica. Los extractos etanólicos fueron los que mayor contenido en compuestos fenólicos presentaron, así como en compuestos de la familia de las luteolinas y apigeninas, potentes antioxidantes, mientras que los extractos de hexano mayor contenido en compuestos del aceite esencial. Respecto a las actividades biológicas, el extracto etanólico presentó la mayor actividad antioxidante, con el menor valor del índice EC50, los extractos acuosos y etanólicos la mayor actividad anti-inflamatoria, mientras que los extractos de etanol y hexano fueron los que mostraron mayor actividad antibacteriana frente al H. pylori. En base a los resultados obtenidos, el extracto etanólico de las semillas de apio podría ser un ingrediente muy interesante para incorporar en un nutracéutico o un alimento con potenciales efectos beneficiosos para la salud en personas con problemas gástricos derivados de la infección por H. pylori como posible complemento al tratamiento médico convencional.Los autores agradecen la financiación otorgada por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades a través del proyecto AGL2017-89566-R. E. Rodríguez-González agradece a la Comunidad de Madrid su contrato en el marco del Programa PEJ-2021-TL.Peer reviewe

Onychomadesis after a hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak in Spain, 2009

Few reports exist regarding the association between onychomadesis and an enterovirus infection presenting clinically as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). In February 2009, an outbreak of HFMD occurred in a Spanish nursery school, followed by onychomadesis 36-69 days later. Twelve of 17 children with HFMD developed nail shedding; enterovirus was detected in stool samples from eight (47%) of the 17. However, in only three of the children could an enterovirus serotype coxsackievirus B1 be identified. The epidemiological results of this study confirm onychomadesis as a complication in HFMD. In future outbreaks, molecular characterization of enterovirus from appropriate clinical samples should be studied.We thank Isidoro Bustillo, Almudena Otero and Hortensia del Pozo for their technical assistance and Ingrid M. Outschoorn for text editing. This study was funded in part by grant DGEG-1304/08 from the Spanish Ministry of Health.S

Efectos del ejercicio aeróbico interválico, combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza y de la restricción calórica, sobre la composición corporal de ratas obesas

Objetivo: Investigar los efectos de un programa de ejercicio aeróbico interválico, combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza, y de la restricción calórica, sobre el peso y la composición corporal de ratas genéticamente obesas. Método: Un total de 32 ratas genéticamente obesas fueron divididas aleatoriamente en dos grupos (n = 16) con o sin ejercicio aeróbico interválico combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza. A su vez, cada grupo, con o sin ejercicio aeróbico interválico combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza, fue dividido en dos grupos, con o sin restricción calórica, resultando cuatro grupos de intervención (n = 8). El programa de ejercicio aeróbico interválico combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza se llevó a cabo en una misma sesión de 60 min, cinco días por semana, durante dos meses. Los grupos con restricción calórica consumieron un 30% menos de alimento que los ad libitum. Se determinó el peso corporal y la masa de la carcasa mediante una balanza de precisión y la masa grasa, muscular y el agua corporal, mediante un analizador de composición corporal, basado en resonancia magnética nuclear, de diseño especial para ratas. Resultados: El peso corporal final fue menor en aquellos animales que realizaron restricción calórica frente a aquellos cuya alimentación fue ad libitum (p < 0.001). La masa grasa fue menor y la masa muscular mayor en aquellos animales que desarrollaron el ejercicio aeróbico interválico combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza, frente a los sedentarios (p < 0.001), sin diferencias atendiendo a la restricción calórica (p > 0.05). Hemos observado interacciones entrenamiento versus restricción calórica, en masa muscular y agua total. Los animales que incrementaron más su masa muscular y agua corporal, fueron los que combinaron el entrenamiento con la restricción calórica (ambos p < 0.01). Conclusiones: Tanto el programa de ejercicio aeróbico interválico, combinado con entrenamiento de fuerza desarrollado, como la restricción calórica, fueron eficaces, mejorando la composición corporal de ratas obesas, pero el ejercicio lo hizo en mayor magnitud

Pathological observations of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) in the wild boar (Sus scrofa)

© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is a multifactorial respiratory syndrome related to the infection with different pathogens. Although most of these pathogens have been detected in the wild boar, the PRDC pneumonic lesions in this species have not been characterized. The aims of this study were to assess the presence of the main swine respiratory pathogens in wild boar populations from mid-western Spain and to describe the pathological features present in the lung from animals infected with PRDC pathogens. A pathological assessment based on five histological parameters was carried out in lung sections from 210 hunted wild boar. The presence of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, Aujeszky’s disease virus, and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in lungs was assessed by the use of specific PCR assays. Additionally, immunohistochemical techniques were carried out to detect swine influenza virus (SIV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection in the lungs. Furthermore, the distribution of infected cells with PCV2 and the presence of M. hyopneumoniae throughout the pulmonary parenchyma were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization assays in a subset of animals. Wild boar infected with M. hyopneumoniae, H. parasuis, or P. multocida showed the most severe lesions. M. hyopneumoniae, SIV, PCV2, and PRRSV were detected in single or mixed infections. Animals suffering from mixed infections with M. hyopneumoniae together with different viruses showed severe bronchopneumonia associated with interstitial pneumonia, suggesting that interactions between pathogens might increase the severity of pathological outcomes