New coronavirus outbreak. Lessons learned from the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic

System dynamics approach offers great potential for addressing how intervention policies can affect the spread of emerging infectious diseases in complex and highly networked systems. Here, we develop a model that explains the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) epidemic that occurred in Hong Kong in 2003. The dynamic model developed with system dynamics methodology included 23 variables (five states, four flows, eight auxiliary variables, six parameters), five differential equations and 12 algebraic equations. The parameters were optimized following an iterative process of simulation to fit the real data from the epidemics. Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the reliability of the model. In addition, we discuss how further testing using this model can inform community interventions to reduce the risk in current and future outbreaks, such as the recently Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) epidemic.Centro de Biología Molecular ‘Severo Ochoa’ by the Fundación Ramón ArecesPeer Reviewe

Prefrontal cortex activity patterns during taste neophobia habituation in adult and aged rats

Age-related memory decline has been associated with changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function. In order to explore the role of mPFC in taste recognition memory, we have assessed mPFC c-Fos immunoreactivity in adult (5-month-old) and aged (24-month-old) male Wistar rats during the first (Novel), second (Familiar I), and sixth (Familiar II) exposure to a cider vinegar solution. Adult brains showed higher c-Fos expression in the ventral but not the dorsal region of mPFC during the second taste exposure. Interestingly, old brains exhibited an altered activity pattern selectively in the dorsal peduncular cortex (DP) which can be associated with a delayed attenuation of vinegar neophobia in this group. These results support the involvement of this area in the formation of safe taste memory. Further research is needed for understanding the role of DP in taste recognition memory and the impact of aging on it

Genome-Scale in silico Reconstruction of the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Generating Metabolism in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and Study of the role of ROS in Different Metabolic Processes

The understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship is a fundamental biological question widely studied, but still not understood in all its dimension. The existence of emergent systems' properties largely complicates the lineality of this relationship making it mandatory for the study of such properties to fully understand the biological systems. The robustness, understood as the porperty that allows the systems to maintain their functions despite external and internal perturbations, is a system-level phenomenom ubiquitously observed in living systems (Blanchini and Franco 2011). Metabolic networks can be affected by variables that have the power of modulating it as a whole and, most likely, of influencing the referred-to molecular mechanisms. Those variables, one of whihch being endogenous ROS generating metabolism, must be included in metabolic in silico models to study this robustness. We decided to model endogenous ROS generation in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 genome-scale model. P. putida is a model microorganism in biotechnology and possesses an extremely versatile metabolism, which makes it the perfect candidate to study complex metabolic processes (Belda et al. 2016). The objective of this project is to go deep in the understanding of endogenous ROS metabolism and to study the role of ROS in different metabolic processes. To do so, we built and validated the ROS generating genome-scale model and used it as a tool for two purposes: (1) to analyse, in silico, the main metabolic mechanisms to prevent the cell from ROS damage and (2) to generate hypothesis about the role of ROS in different metabolic processes that we approached experimentaly. As a result of this investigation, we have came up with (1) the theory that the main cellular mechanisms to fight back endogenous ROS generation are fuelled by NADH, and not by the activation of NADPH generating metabolic pathways, as we find in scientific literature (Mailloux, Lemire, and Appanna 2011). (2) We have also found that ROS plays an important role in different molecular mechanisms involving robustness, as the carbon flux deviation to the accumulation of  polyhydroxyalkanoate; and also influenciate the global metabolic regulator gen crc

Proteome Comparison Between Natural Desiccation-Tolerant Plants and Drought-Protected Caspicum annuum Plants by Microbacterium sp. 3J1

Desiccation-tolerant plants are able to survive for extended periods of time in the absence of water. The molecular understanding of the mechanisms used by these plants to resist droughts can be of great value for improving drought tolerance in crops. This understanding is especially relevant in an environment that tends to increase the number and intensity of droughts. The combination of certain microorganisms with drought-sensitive plants can improve their tolerance to water scarcity. One of these bacteria is Microbacterium sp. 3J1, an actinobacteria able to protect pepper plants from drought. In this study, we supplemented drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive plant rhizospheres with Microbacterium sp. 3J1 and analyzed their proteomes under drought to investigate the plant-microbe interaction. We also compare this root proteome with the proteome found in desiccation-tolerant plants. In addition, we studied the proteome of Microbacterium sp. 3J1 subjected to drought to analyze its contribution to the plantmicrobe interaction. We describe those mechanisms shared by desiccation-tolerant plants and sensitive plants protected by microorganisms focusing on protection against oxidative stress, and production of compatible solutes, plant hormones, and other more specific proteins.Spanish Ministry for Economy and CompetitivenessEuropean Union (EU) P11-RNM-7844 P18-RT-976 CTM2017-84332-R CGL2017-91737-EXPAndalusian Regional GovernmentSpanish Ministry of Econom

Seed-Encapsulation of Desiccation-Tolerant Microorganisms for the Protection of Maize from Drought: Phenotyping Effects of a New Dry Bioformulation

This research study was funded by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness and the European Union, within the context of the research project CGL2017-91737-EXP and by the Andalusian Regional Government and the European Union (research project P18-RT-976).Droughts and high temperatures deeply affect crop production. The use of desiccationtolerant (or xerotolerant) microorganisms able to protect plants from droughts represents a promising alternative. These xerotolerant microorganisms have previously been used to modulate plant responses and improve their tolerance to drought. In addition, these microorganisms could be stored and used in dry formats, which would improve their viability and resilience at a much lower cost than current market alternatives. In the present study we analyze the possibility of using strains of xerotolerant Actinobacteria in encapsulated format on seeds. Under this formulation, we carried out greenhouse with farming soil with maize plants. Under greenhouse conditions, the plants showed greater resistance to drought, as well as increased growth and production yield, but not as well in field trials. This alternative could represent a useful tool to improve water efficiency in crops for drought-affected areas or affected by water scarcity.Spanish GovernmentEuropean Commission P18-RT-976Andalusian Regional Governmen

Flavor recognition memory related activity of the posterior piriform cortex in adult and aged rats

The relationship between the piriform cortex and flavor recognition memory was investigated in adult and aged rats. By using c-Fos immunohistochemistry, we assessed the piriform cortex activity induced by flavor familiarity. The results indicated increased activity in the rostral region of the posterior piriform cortex elicited by the most familiar cider vinegar solution after six exposures. Aged rats exhibited overall increased activity in the posterior, but not the anterior piriform cortex, which was not related to flavor familiarity. This suggests that the posterior piriform cortex is related to flavor recognition memory and that aging modifies its activity pattern which might underlie their slower attenuation of flavor neophobia.This work was supported by the research projects PSI2014-57643-P, PSI2017-86381-P (MINECO. Spain) and FPU14/01531 (predoctoral fellowship to A.B. Grau-Perales (MECD, Spain

Origin of the coloured karst fills in the neogene extensional system of ne iberia (Spain)

Karst fills from the onshore Penedès Basin and offshore València Trough display red, pink, orange and ochre colours. Their Mössbauer spectra indicate that Fe contained in goethite is the dominant species in reddish-pink fills, whereas Fe contained in dolomite and clays is more dominant in the orange and ochre ones. The lower δ C values and higher Sr/ Sr ratios of the karst fills with respect to their host carbonates can reflect the input of soil-derived CO and an external radiogenic source into the karst system. This geochemical composition, together with the non-carbonate fraction of the fills, consists of authigenic and transported illite, illite-smectite interlayers, as well as kaolinite, chlorite, pyrite, quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, apatite and feldspar, account for a mixed residual-detrital origin of fills. This polygenic origin agrees with that of the terra rossa sediments described worldwide. The different colours of karst fills are attributed to fluctuations in the water table, which control the Eh/pH conditions in the karst system. Thus, reddish colours reflect low water table levels and oxidising episodes, and orange and ochre ones reflect high water table levels and more reducing episodes. The greenish colours of fills could be related to fluctuations in the Fe /Fe ratio

Renal function dynamics following co-administration of sacubitril/valsartan and empagliflozin in patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety profile in terms of changes in renal function after co-treatment with sacubitril/valsartan and empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This multicentre observational analysis included 108 patients with T2D and HFrEF treated with both agents: baseline sacubitril/valsartan (Group A; n = 43), baseline empagliflozin (Group B; n = 42), or both agents initiated simultaneously (Group C; n = 23). The primary endpoint was estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) dynamics across treatment groups. A binary characterization of worsening renal function (WRF)/improved renal function (IRF) was included in the primary endpoint. WRF and IRF were defined as an increase/decrease in serum creatinine ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or GFR ≥ 20%. Changes in quantitative variables were evaluated using joint modelling of survival and longitudinal data (JM). Rates and their treatment differences were determined by Poisson regression. The mean left ventricle ejection fraction and eGFR were 32 ± 6% and 70 ± 28 mL/min/1.73 m 2, respectively. At a median follow-up of 1.01 years (inter-quartile range 0.71-1.50), 377 outpatient visits were recorded. Although there were differences in GFR trajectories over time within each treatment, they did not achieve statistical significance (omnibus P = 0.154). However, when these differences were contrasted among groups, there was a significant decrease in GFR in Group A as compared with Group B (P = 0.002). The contrast between Groups C and B was not significant (P = 0.430). These differences were also reflected when the rates for WRF and IRF were contrasted among treatments. The co-administration of sacubitril/valsartan and empagliflozin in patients with HFrEF and concomitant T2D appears to be safe in terms of renal function

Origin of the coloured karst fills in the neogene extensional system of ne iberia (Spain)

Karst fills from the onshore Penedès Basin and offshore València Trough display red, pink, orange and ochre colours. Their Mössbauer spectra indicate that Fe3+ contained in goethite is the dominant species in reddish-pink fills, whereas Fe2+ contained in dolomite and clays is more dominant in the orange and ochre ones. The lower δ 13C values and higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the karst fills with respect to their host carbonates can reflect the input of soil-derived CO2 and an external radiogenic source into the karst system. This geochemical composition, together with the non-carbonate fraction of the fills, consists of authigenic and transported illite, illite-smectite interlayers, as well as kaolinite, chlorite, pyrite, quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, apatite and feldspar, account for a mixed residual-detrital origin of fills. This polygenic origin agrees with that of the terra rossa sediments described worldwide. The different colours of karst fills are attributed to fluctuations in the water table, which control the Eh/pH conditions in the karst system. Thus, reddish colours reflect low water table levels and oxidising episodes, and orange and ochre ones reflect high water table levels and more reducing episodes. The greenish colours of fills could be related to fluctuations in the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio