Severe COVID-19 during pregnancy and the subsequent premature delivery

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Part prematurCoronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Parto prematuroCoronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Premature deliveryCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic in January 2020. Although most of the cases in pregnant women are mild, there are reports of increasing severe infection in pregnancy. Only a few case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in preterm neonates delivered by mothers with COVID-19 have been reported till date. The possibility of in utero transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is highly controversial.1,2 While SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in several neonates by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal swabs collected in the early hours or days of life,3,4 the reliability of these swabs is under scrutiny, as there is a chance of contamination by coronavirus-infected maternal body fluids

Quantitative determination of spring water quality parameters via electronic tongue

[EN] The use of a voltammetric electronic tongue for the quantitative analysis of quality parameters in spring water is proposed here. The electronic voltammetric tongue consisted of a set of four noble electrodes (iridium, rhodium, platinum, and gold) housed inside a stainless steel cylinder. These noble metals have a high durability and are not demanding for maintenance, features required for the development of future automated equipment. A pulse voltammetry study was conducted in 83 spring water samples to determine concentrations of nitrate (range: 6.9-115 mg/L), sulfate (32-472 mg/L), fluoride (0.08-0.26 mg/L), chloride (17-190 mg/L), and sodium (11-94 mg/L) as well as pH (7.3-7.8). These parameters were also determined by routine analytical methods in spring water samples. A partial least squares (PLS) analysis was run to obtain a model to predict these parameter. Orthogonal signal correction (OSC) was applied in the preprocessing step. Calibration (67%) and validation (33%) sets were selected randomly. The electronic tongue showed good predictive power to determine the concentrations of nitrate, sulfate, chloride, and sodium as well as pH and displayed a lower R-2 and slope in the validation set for fluoride. Nitrate and fluoride concentrations were estimated with errors lower than 15%, whereas chloride, sulfate, and sodium concentrations as well as pH were estimated with errors below 10%.The authors gratefully acknowledge the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and FEDER, providing funds amounting to (sic)664.525,75 for the project "Desarrollo de sistemas basados en lenguas electronicas para el control y monitorizacion del ciclo integral del agua" INNPACTO. IPT-2012-0069-310000. Moreover, the authors gratefully acknowledge the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and FEDER (projects MAT2015-64139-C4-1-R (MINECO/FEDER), MAT2015-64139-C4-3-R (MINECO/FEDER)), the Generalitat Valenciana (project PROMETEOII/2014/047), and CIBER-BBN (NANOPROBE project) for their financial support.Carbó-Mestre, N.; López-Carrero, J.; Garcia-Castillo, FJ.; Tormos, I.; Olivas, E.; Folch, E.; Alcañiz Fillol, M.... (2018). Quantitative determination of spring water quality parameters via electronic tongue. Sensors. 18(1):1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18010040S112181Winquist, F., Olsson, J., & Eriksson, M. (2011). Multicomponent analysis of drinking water by a voltammetric electronic tongue. Analytica Chimica Acta, 683(2), 192-197. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2010.10.027Storey, M. V., van der Gaag, B., & Burns, B. P. (2011). Advances in on-line drinking water quality monitoring and early warning systems. Water Research, 45(2), 741-747. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2010.08.049Winquist, F. (2008). Voltammetric electronic tongues – basic principles and applications. Microchimica Acta, 163(1-2), 3-10. doi:10.1007/s00604-007-0929-2Garçon, L.-A., Genua, M., Hou, Y., Buhot, A., Calemczuk, R., Livache, T., … Hou, Y. (2017). A Versatile Electronic Tongue Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging and Cross-Reactive Sensor Arrays—A Mini-Review. Sensors, 17(5), 1046. doi:10.3390/s17051046Hou, Y., Genua, M., Tada Batista, D., Calemczuk, R., Buhot, A., Fornarelli, P., … Livache, T. (2012). Continuous Evolution Profiles for Electronic-Tongue-Based Analysis. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 51(41), 10394-10398. doi:10.1002/anie.201205346Holmin, S., Spångeus, P., Krantz-Rülcker, C., & Winquist, F. (2001). Compression of electronic tongue data based on voltammetry — a comparative study. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 76(1-3), 455-464. doi:10.1016/s0925-4005(01)00585-8Campos, I., Alcañiz, M., Aguado, D., Barat, R., Ferrer, J., Gil, L., … Vivancos, J.-L. (2012). A voltammetric electronic tongue as tool for water quality monitoring in wastewater treatment plants. Water Research, 46(8), 2605-2614. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.02.029Martı́nez-Máñez, R., Soto, J., Garcia-Breijo, E., Gil, L., Ibáñez, J., & Llobet, E. (2005). An «electronic tongue» design for the qualitative analysis of natural waters. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 104(2), 302-307. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2004.05.022Garcia-Breijo, E., Atkinson, J., Gil-Sanchez, L., Masot, R., Ibañez, J., Garrigues, J., … Olguin, C. (2011). A comparison study of pattern recognition algorithms implemented on a microcontroller for use in an electronic tongue for monitoring drinking waters. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 172(2), 570-582. doi:10.1016/j.sna.2011.09.039Moreno, L., Merlos, A., Abramova, N., Jiménez, C., & Bratov, A. (2006). Multi-sensor array used as an «electronic tongue» for mineral water analysis. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 116(1-2), 130-134. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2005.12.063Sipos, L., Kovács, Z., Sági-Kiss, V., Csiki, T., Kókai, Z., Fekete, A., & Héberger, K. (2012). Discrimination of mineral waters by electronic tongue, sensory evaluation and chemical analysis. Food Chemistry, 135(4), 2947-2953. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.06.021Braga, G. S., Paterno, L. G., & Fonseca, F. J. (2012). Performance of an electronic tongue during monitoring 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin in water samples. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 171-172, 181-189. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2012.02.092Escobar, J. D., Alcaniz, M., Masot, R., Fuentes, A., Bataller, R., Soto, J., & Barat, J. M. (2013). Quantification of organic acids using voltammetric tongues. Food Chemistry, 138(2-3), 814-820. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.11.078Martínez-Bisbal, M. C., Loeff, E., Olivas, E., Carbó, N., García-Castillo, F. J., López-Carrero, J., … Soto, J. (2017). A Voltammetric Electronic Tongue for the Quantitative Analysis of Quality Parameters in Wastewater. Electroanalysis, 29(4), 1147-1153. doi:10.1002/elan.201600717Bonastre, A., Ors, R., Capella, J. V., Fabra, M. J., & Peris, M. (2005). In-line chemical analysis of wastewater: present and future trends. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 24(2), 128-137. doi:10.1016/j.trac.2004.09.008Ivarsson, P., Johansson, M., Höjer, N.-E., Krantz-Rülcker, C., Winquist, F., & Lundström, I. (2005). Supervision of rinses in a washing machine by a voltammetric electronic tongue. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 108(1-2), 851-857. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2004.12.088Garcia-Breijo, E., Peris, R. M., Pinatti, C. O., Fillol, M. A., Civera, J. I., & Prats, R. B. (2013). Low-Cost Electronic Tongue System and Its Application to Explosive Detection. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 62(2), 424-431. doi:10.1109/tim.2012.2215156Winquist, F., Wide, P., & Lundström, I. (1997). An electronic tongue based on voltammetry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 357(1-2), 21-31. doi:10.1016/s0003-2670(97)00498-4Campos, I., Sangrador, A., Bataller, R., Aguado, D., Barat, R., Soto, J., & Martínez-Máñez, R. (2014). Ammonium and Phosphate Quantification in Wastewater by Using a Voltammetric Electronic Tongue. Electroanalysis, 26(3), 588-595. doi:10.1002/elan.201300538Geladi, P., & Kowalski, B. R. (1986). Partial least-squares regression: a tutorial. Analytica Chimica Acta, 185, 1-17. doi:10.1016/0003-2670(86)80028-9Wold, S., Antti, H., Lindgren, F., & Öhman, J. (1998). Orthogonal signal correction of near-infrared spectra. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 44(1-2), 175-185. doi:10.1016/s0169-7439(98)00109-9Sjöblom, J., Svensson, O., Josefson, M., Kullberg, H., & Wold, S. (1998). An evaluation of orthogonal signal correction applied to calibration transfer of near infrared spectra. 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Detection of Beta-Lactam-Resistant Escherichia coli and Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile Strains in Wild Boars Foraging in an Anthropization Gradient

Funding: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (PIF-UAB 2015). Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya 2018FI_B_00978 i 2016FI_B 00425Disease transmission among wild boars, domestic animals and humans is a public health concern, especially in areas with high wild boar densities. In this study, fecal samples of wild boars (n = 200) from different locations of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona were analyzed by PCR to explore the frequency of β-lactamases and extended cephalosporin and carbapenem resistance genes (ESBLs) in Escherichia coli strains and the presence of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile. The prevalence of genes conferring resistance to β-lactam antimicrobials was 8.0% (16/200): blaCMY-2 (3.0%), blaTEM-1b (2.5%), blaCTX-M-14 (1.0%), blaSHV-28 (1.0%), blaCTX-M-15 (0.5%) and blaCMY-1 (0.5%). Clostridioides difficile TcdA+ was detected in two wild boars (1.0%), which is the first report of this pathogen in wild boars in Spain. Moreover, the wild boars foraging in urban and peri-urban locations were more exposed to AMRB sources than the wild boars dwelling in natural environments. In conclusion, the detection of E. coli carrying ESBL/AmpC genes and toxigenic C. difficile in wild boars foraging in urban areas reinforces the value of this game species as a sentinel of environmental AMRB sources. In addition, these wild boars can be a public and environmental health concern by disseminating AMRB and other zoonotic agents. Although this study provides the first hints of the potential anthropogenic sources of AMR, further efforts should be conducted to identify and control them

ErbBs inhibition by lapatinib blocks tumor growth in an orthotopic model of human testicular germ cell tumor

In this work, we have analyzed the expression of different members of the ErbB family in human samples of testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs). We observed expression of ErbB1 or ErbB2 in different tumor subtypes, but we also found high expression of ErbB3 in all GCTs tested. This pattern of expression was maintained when primary tumors were orthotopically implanted in nude mice. We have chosen a choriocarcinoma model characterized by high levels of ErbB1, but also of ErbB2 and ErbB3, to assay the in vivo effect of ErbB inhibitors on tumoral growth. Our results showed a complete lack of effect (refractoriness) to the pure ErbB1 receptor inhibitors cetuximab and gefitinib. While these inhibitors blocked ErbB1 phosphorylation, ErbB2 phosphorylation was not affected, suggesting an ErbB1-independent activation of this receptor. To confirm the importance of ErbB2 activation, animals were treated with lapatinib, a dual ErbB1 and ErbB2 inhibitor. Lapatinib treatment caused a 50% inhibition in tumor growth, an effect correlated with a blockade of both ErbB1 and ErbB2 phosphorylation levels, and of downstream signaling pathways (Akt, ERKs and Stat3). ErbB2 activation could still occur due to the formation of ErbB2/ErbB3 heterodimers, and ErbB3 activation was completely inhibited by lapatinib. Finally, combined inhibition of ErbB1 (gefitinib) and ErbB3 activities (knockdown expression by shRNA) inhibited tumoral testicular cells proliferation in a similar way to lapatinib. Our results explain why lapatinib but not anti-ErbB1 agents might be effective for treatment of testicular GCT patients

Antibiotic selection in the treatment of acute invasive infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Guidelines by the Spanish Society of Chemotherapy

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is characterized by a notable intrinsic resistance to antibiotics, mainly mediated by the expression of inducible chromosomic β-lactamases and the production of constitutive or inducible efflux pumps. Apart from this intrinsic resistance, P. aeruginosa possess an extraordinary ability to develop resistance to nearly all available antimicrobials through selection of mutations. The progressive increase in resistance rates in P. aeruginosa has led to the emergence of strains which, based on their degree of resistance to common antibiotics, have been defined as multidrug resistant, extended-resistant and panresistant strains. These strains are increasingly disseminated worldwide, progressively complicating the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. In this scenario, the objective of the present guidelines was to review and update published evidence for the treatment of patients with acute, invasive and severe infections caused by P. aeruginosa. To this end, mechanisms of intrinsic resistance, factors favoring development of resistance during antibiotic exposure, prevalence of resistance in Spain, classical and recently appeared new antibiotics active against P. aeruginosa, pharmacodynamic principles predicting efficacy, clinical experience with monotherapy and combination therapy, and principles for antibiotic treatment were reviewed to elaborate recommendations by the panel of experts for empirical and directed treatment of P. aeruginosa invasive infections

Algunas evidencias de aplicación

Libro temático especializadoLa sustentabilidad también debe aplicarse al sistema de producción, buscando impulsar transformaciones graduales de los estilos y modelos productivos tradicionales a unas de mayor eficiencia. Y donde se incorpore la dimensión ambiental y geográfico-espacial, para crear estructuras productivas más progresivas y equitativas en las sociedades. Todo esto, como alternativa para revertir las tendencias de escasez y agotamiento de los recursos naturales, así como de los desequilibrios globales, cuyos costos permean todos los tejidos humanos. De esta manera, la “sustentabilidad productiva” se concibe como la generación de bienes y servicios con ciertos estándares de calidad, bajo un esquema de eficiencia, rendimiento y de organización inclusiva e integrada, con baja presión al ambiente y uso racional de los recursos, garantizando la estadía y permanencia de los insumos y materiales en el tiempo. Desde esta perspectiva, la producción sustentable y el crecimiento de largo plazo pueden ser explicados por la capacidad que tienen las economías para generar e incorporar conocimientos y tecnologías. De ahí que, la educación y las cualificaciones del capital humano, los cambios en la organización de la producción y la calidad institucional, sean elementos nodales para avanzar en la consolidación de este ambiente productivo

Spanish cohort of VEXAS syndrome : clinical manifestations, outcome of treatments and novel evidences about UBA1 mosaicism

The vacuoles, E1-enzyme, X linked, autoinflammatory and somatic (VEXAS) syndrome is an adult-onset autoinflammatory disease (AID) due to postzygotic UBA1 variants. To investigate the presence of VEXAS syndrome among patients with adult-onset undiagnosed AID. Additional studies evaluated the mosaicism distribution and the circulating cytokines. Gene analyses were performed by both Sanger and amplicon-based deep sequencing. Patients' data were collected from their medical charts. Cytokines were quantified by Luminex. Genetic analyses of enrolled patients (n=42) identified 30 patients carrying UBA1 pathogenic variants, with frequencies compatible for postzygotic variants. All patients were male individuals who presented with a late-onset disease (mean 67.5 years; median 67.0 years) characterised by cutaneous lesions (90%), fever (66.7%), pulmonary manifestations (66.7%) and arthritis (53.3%). Macrocytic anaemia and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and ferritin were the most relevant analytical abnormalities. Glucocorticoids ameliorated the inflammatory manifestations, but most patients became glucocorticoid-dependent. Positive responses were obtained when targeting the haematopoietic component of the disease with either decitabine or allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Additional analyses detected the UBA1 variants in both haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic tissues. Finally, analysis of circulating cytokines did not identify inflammatory mediators of the disease. Thirty patients with adult-onset AID were definitively diagnosed with VEXAS syndrome through genetic analyses. Despite minor interindividual differences, their main characteristics were in concordance with previous reports. We detected for the first time the UBA1 mosaicism in non-haematopoietic tissue, which questions the previous concept of myeloid-restricted mosaicism and may have conceptual consequences for the disease mechanisms

Metodología experimental aplicada a la Inmunología Molecular

El objetivo general del proyecto es aplicar un modelo pedagógico en el que participen los alumnos de manera activa y apliquen el método científico en base a los conocimientos que han adquirido, resolviendo y realizando un caso práctico en el laboratorio. Integra una estrategia didáctica que va a fomentar la participación activa del alumnado provocando un aprendizaje significativo, ya que el alumno tiene que resolver mediante el razonamiento un caso práctico y luego integrarlo en el laboratorio con el uso de una técnica ampliamente utilizada en Inmunología, como es la citometría de flujo.Depto. de Arquitectura de Computadores y AutomáticaFac. de InformáticaFALSEInnovasubmitte

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality