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

PhDAY 2020 -FOO (Facultad de Óptica y Optometría)

Por cuarto año consecutivo los doctorandos de la Facultad de Óptica y Optometría de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid cuentan con un congreso propio organizado por y para ellos, el 4º PhDAY- FOO. Se trata de un congreso gratuito abierto en la que estos jóvenes científicos podrán presentar sus investigaciones al resto de sus compañeros predoctorales y a toda la comunidad universitaria que quiera disfrutar de este evento. Apunta en tu agenda: el 15 de octubre de 2020. En esta ocasión será un Congreso On-line para evitar que la incertidumbre asociada a la pandemia Covid-19 pudiera condicionar su celebración

Direct Urine Resistance Detection Using VITEK 2

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infectious diseases in both communities and hospitals. With non-anatomical or functional abnormalities, UTIs are usually self-limiting, though women suffer more reinfections throughout their lives. Certainly, antibiotic treatment leads to a more rapid resolution of symptoms, but also it selects resistant uropathogens and adversely affects the gut and vaginal microbiota. As uropathogens are increasingly becoming resistant to currently available antibiotics, it could be time to explore alternative strategies for managing UTIs. Rapid identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) allow fast and precise treatment. The objective of this study was to shorten the time of diagnosis of UTIs by combining pathogen screening through flow cytometry, microbial identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and the VITEK 2 system for the direct analysis of urine samples. First, we selected positive urine samples by flow cytometry using UF5000, establishing the cut-off for positive at 150 bacteria/mL. After confirming the identification using MALDI-TOF MS and filtering the urine samples for Escherichia coli, we directly tested the AST N388 card using VITEK 2. We tested a total of 211 E. coli from urine samples. Cefoxitin, ertapenem, imipenem, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, fosfomycin, and nitrofurantoin had no major important errors (MIE), and ampicillin, cefuroxime, and tobramycin showed higher MIEs. Cefepime, imipenem, and tobramycin had no major errors (ME). Fosfomycin was the antibiotic with the most MEs. The antibiotic with the most minor errors (mE) was ceftazidime. The total categorical agreement (CA) was 97.4% with a 95% CI of (96.8–97.9)95%. The direct AST from the urine samples proposed here was shorter by one day, without significant loss of sensibility regarding the standard diagnosis. Therefore, we hypothesize that this method is more realistic and better suited to human antibiotic concentrations