A survey of Mycoplasma agalactiae in dairy sheep farms in Spain

BACKGROUND: Contagious Agalactia (CA) is one of the major animal health problems in small ruminants because of its economic significance. Currently, four Mycoplasma spp. have been associated with this syndrome: M. agalactiae, M. mycoides subsp. capri, M. capricolum subsp. capricolum and M. putrefaciens. Their presence has been evaluated in several studies conducted in CA-endemic countries. However, previous Spanish studies have been focused on caprine CA, and there is a knowledge gap regarding which Mycoplasma species are present in sheep flocks from Spain, which has the second highest number of sheep amongst the 27 European Union member states. Consequently, we investigated the presence and geographic distribution of the four CA-causing mycoplasmas in Spanish dairy sheep farms. This is the first time such an investigation has been performed. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty nine out of 922 sheep flocks were positive for M. agalactiae by real time PCR (36.8%) and 85 by microbiological identification (9.2%). Interestingly, all 597 milk samples assessed for the presence of M. mycoides subsp. capri, M. capricolum subsp. capricolum and M. putrefaciens tested negative. To evaluate the intermittent excretion of the pathogen in milk, we sampled 391 additional farms from 2 to 5 times, resulting that in 26.3% of the cases a previously positive farm tested negative in a later sampling. CONCLUSIONS: M. agalactiae was the only Mycoplasma species detected in the study area showing a high frequency of presence and wide distribution. Therefore, the establishment of a permanent surveillance network is advantageous, as well as the implementation of control and prevention measures to hinder the dissemination of M. agalactiae and to prevent the entrance of other Mycoplasma species

Molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a university hospital in northwestern Spain

Continuous monitoring of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is necessary to understand the clonal evolution of successful lineages. In this study, we identifi ed the MRSA clones circulating in a Spanish hospital during a 2-year period, assessed their relationship with antimicrobial resistance profi les, and investigated the presence of the emerging community-associated and livestock-associated MRSA lineages (CA-MRSA, LA-MRSA). CC5-MRSA-IV isolates were the most frequently recovered, which supports the previously reported prevalence of this clone in Spanish hospitals. We observed ST125 isolates that harbored specifi c cassette chromosome recombinase (ccr) gene elements of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types IV and VI. That clone, which was fi rst detected only recently, has increased resistance to erythromycin. Furthermore, 94% of the infections were caused by non-multiresistant isolates. Neither CA-MRSA nor LA-MRSA isolates were observed. These fi ndings, along with related events over the last decade, suggest the establishment of a clonal endemic population in the Spanish clinical environment. [Int Microbiol 2014; 17(3):149-157]Keywords: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) · clonal population · molecular epidemiology · multilocus sequence typin

Modelling the fate and serogroup variability of persistent Listeria monocytogenes strains on grated cheese at different storage temperatures

Processed cheese from cow's milk is one of the most consumed dairy products worldwide. Since this product is defined as ready-to-eat, foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes can represent a health concern for susceptible populations. In this study, the individual and combined kinetic behaviour of four L. monocytogenes serogroups (namely, 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c and 4b) persistently isolated from a Spanish cheesemaking factory was modelled on grated cheese at different isothermal conditions (4 and 12 °C) during a 120-days period. The serogroup variability was characterized over the storage time by the isolation and identification of the different serogroups in the cocktail containing the four strains. This processed cheese did not support the growth of L. monocytogenes during storage. Survival patterns described by the log-linear type model indicated a high variability of L. monocytogenes serotypes at the tested temperatures: L. monocytogenes serogroup 4b showed a more rapid decrease rate at 4 °C than at 12 °C, while the opposite trend was found for the rest of serogroups and the L. monocytogenes cocktail containing all the strains. Survival rate of L. monocytogenes serogroup 1/2c at 4 °C was 0.007 log CFU/d being the most resistant serotype while at 12 °C, serogroup 1/2a showed the lowest survival rate (0.011 log CFU/d), thus showing a prolonged survival at this temperature. This study highlights the potential implications of L. monocytogenes contamination in processed cheese and shows that serogroup variability should be considered when evaluating survival patterns in contaminated products. Finally, the predictive models developed here could be useful to assist food operators to set specific storage conditions and formulations to avoid L. monocytogenes growth and survival in grated cheeses.European Union (EU) funded Integrated Project PROMISE (project number 265877; 7th Framework Programme

Hand Rehabilitation after Chronic Brain Damage: Effectiveness, Usability and Acceptance of Technological Devices: A Pilot Study

Purpose: The aim is to present an overview of existing tools for hand rehabilitation after brain injury and a pilot study to test HandTutor® in patients with chronic brain damage (CBD)

Zero-inflated binomial regressions for modelling low prevalence of pathogens in chicken meat as affected by sampling site

Contamination of raw poultry meat with foodborne pathogens could occur because of improper handling at primary production and slaughterhouse levels. Low microbial prevalence data often consists of a high amount of non-detections (zero positives), so a flexible framework is required to characterise the underlying microbial distribution and conduct reliable inferential statistics. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of zero-inflated binomial (ZIB) regression models to describe the effects of sampling site (carcass, thigh, breast, wings) on the measured incidences of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus on chicken meat. For each pathogen, four regression models based on the zero-inflated binomial ZIB (p, w0) distribution were fitted to the presence/absence data with sampling site as covariate and random-effects due to sampling occasion either in the binomial probability(p)or in the extra-proportion of non-detections(w0).Forthe three pathogens, the sampling site exerted a greater effect on w0 than on p itself, with breast bearing the lowest prevalence estimatesofSalmonellaspp.(mean: 0.88%;95%CI:0.02–1.95%)andS.aureus(mean1.48%;95%CI: 0.01–4.00%). The fitting capacity of the models was further improved when random effects due to sampling occasion were placed in w0 (deviances decreased from 146.7–156.7 to 140.2–140.6). This would imply that, theoretically, the variability in pathogens’ occurrence from batch to batch mainly arises from the variability in non-contaminated zones. At any sampling site, the mean prevalence was estimated as 1.35 (95% CI: 0.15 – 2.70) for Salmonella, 2.11 (95% CI: 0.04 – 5.63) for L. monocytogenes and 2.36 (95% CI: 0.04 – 5.12) for S. aureus. Sampling performance analysis showed that wings were mostly suitable to detect Salmonella and S. aureus with higher probability (0.016 and 0.035 respectively), while for L. monocytogenes, sampling of thigh could be more effective (0.032).Dr. Gonzales-Barron wishes to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the award of a five-year Investigator Fellowship (IF) in the mode of Development Grants ( IF/00570 )info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Combined flow cytometry and high-throughput image analysis for the study of essential genes in Caenorhabditis elegans

Background: Advances in automated image-based microscopy platforms coupled with high-throughput liquid workflows have facilitated the design of large-scale screens utilising multicellular model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans to identify genetic interactions, therapeutic drugs or disease modifiers. However, the analysis of essential genes has lagged behind because lethal or sterile mutations pose a bottleneck for high-throughput approaches, and a systematic way to analyse genetic interactions of essential genes in multicellular organisms has been lacking. Results: In C. elegans, non-conditional lethal mutations can be maintained in heterozygosity using chromosome balancers, commonly expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the pharynx. However, gene expression or function is typically monitored by the use of fluorescent reporters marked with the same fluorophore, presenting a challenge to sort worm populations of interest, particularly at early larval stages. Here, we develop a sorting strategy capable of selecting homozygous mutants carrying a GFP stress reporter from GFP-balanced animals at the second larval stage. Because sorting is not completely error-free, we develop an automated high-throughput image analysis protocol that identifies and discards animals carrying the chromosome balancer. We demonstrate the experimental usefulness of combining sorting of homozygous lethal mutants and automated image analysis in a functional genomic RNA interference (RNAi) screen for genes that genetically interact with mitochondrial prohibitin (PHB). Lack of PHB results in embryonic lethality, while homozygous PHB deletion mutants develop into sterile adults due to maternal contribution and strongly induce the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR mt ). In a chromosome-wide RNAi screen for C. elegans genes having human orthologues, we uncover both known and new PHB genetic interactors affecting the UPR mt and growth. Conclusions: The method presented here allows the study of balanced lethal mutations in a high-throughput manner. It can be easily adapted depending on the user's requirements and should serve as a useful resource for the C. elegans community for probing new biological aspects of essential nematode genes as well as the generation of more comprehensive genetic networks.European Research Council ERC-2011-StG-281691Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BFU2012–3550

Exercise for People with Acquired Brain Injury: An ICF Perspective.

Exercise is an important element in the process of recovery from an acquired brain injury (ABI). However, specific guidance for exercise prescription and interventions in this population are missed. The aim of this study was to establish the key parameters to design and implement exercise programs based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) domains. A panel of experts that consisted of 13 professionals from neuro-rehabilitation centers evaluated the key parameters of this original proposal. The Heinemann methodology was used for all qualitative analyses. Additionally, Cronbach’s alpha was applied to the statistical analyses. According to the results, Cronbach’s alpha (0.97) indicated excellent internal consistency, and the experts perceptions ratified the proposed criteria to develop exercise programs for people with ABI. The proposed key parameters for the development of exercise programs for people with ABI based in ICF domains (body functions, activity—participation and environmental factors) bring a new, solid, and innovative tool for methodological design of these programs in sub-acute and chronic rehabilitation settings.pre-print1011 K

Musical Heritage as a Means of Sustainable Development: Perceptions in Students Studying for a Degree in Primary Education

Education is an essential vehicle for valuing cultural legacy, and musical heritage is a part of that cultural legacy that we must protect as it is one of the main areas of intangible cultural heritage, a reflection of cultural diversity, and a conveyor of meaning, and social, cultural, and economic values contributing to sustainable development. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to evaluate the perception students studying for the Degree in Primary Education at the University of Zaragoza and the Autonomous University of Madrid have of the value, significance, and importance of the sustainability of musical cultural heritage. This non-experimental and descriptive research is based on the statistical descriptive method, with a sample of n = 202 preservice teachers. A questionnaire consisting of fifteen items was designed and validated as a data collection instrument. The data analysis shows differences in the analyzed categories and points to the need to take action to solve them. It also reveals the importance students attach to musical cultural heritage, to including it in the curricula of the various educational stages, and to the need to protect it as an essential requirement for sustainable development

Non-conventional tube shapes for lifetime extend of solar external receivers

In this work, several novel tube shapes of solar tubular receivers that differ from the classical circular shape are analysed aiming to reduce the stresses of the receiver tubes, without penalizing its thermal efficiency. The analysis is performed using analytical thermal and mechanical models of the literature adapted for their use with non-circular tube shapes, verifying the assumptions made with FEM simulations due to the lack of experimental data available. Among the geometries studied, the results show that oval cross-section tubes improve the thermal efficiency of the receiver at the expense of increasing the stresses considerably. Ovoidal tubes show worse thermal and mechanical behaviour when the frontal part becomes peakier. Semicircle tubes reduce the stress by 10.9%, while keeping constant or even slightly improving the thermal performance. The last ones, increase the lifetime of the receiver and reduces the receiver costs if the manufacturing of the new geometries does no overpass 3.5 times the present price of production of the circular tubes. Therefore, the use of asymmetric cross-section tubes with low rear-front surface ratios, and smooth front surfaces can be considered a good alternative for substituting traditional circular cross-section tubes in central receivers.This research is partially funded by the Spanish government under the project RTI2018-096664-B-C21 (MICINN/FEDER, UE) and by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of "Fostering Young Doctors Research" (RETOrenovable-CM-UC3M), and in the context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation)