Impedimetric Biosensor Based on a Hechtia argentea Lectin for the Detection of Salmonella spp.

A sensitive electrochemical detection method for Salmonella spp. was described, based on the use of Hechtia argentea lectin immobilised on a screen-printed gold electrode. The lectin was extracted from Hechtia argentea, a plant belonging to the Bromeliaceae family. The lectin with molecular weight near 27.4 kDa showed selectivity towards D-mannose, contained on the lipopolysaccharide cell wall of Salmonella spp. Carbohydrate selectivity of the lectin was measured as a change in impedance with respect to concentration. The binding of the bacteria to the biosensor surface increased impedance with increasing concentrations of Salmonella spp., achieving a linear range of detection of 15–2.57 × 107 CFU mL−1, with a limit of detection of 5 CFU mL−1. Increases in impedance were measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and analysed using Nyquist plots. The biosensor was applied in analysis of hen egg samples, and the results were consistent with those obtained using the official analysis methodologyS

Comparison of the Mayo Endoscopy Score and the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopy Index of Severity and the Ulcerative Colitis Colonoscopy Index of Severity

Background and study aims: Endoscopy plays an essential role in managing patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), as it allows us to visualize and assess the severity of the disease. As such assessments are not always objective, different scores have been devised to standardize the findings. The main aim of this study was to assess the interobserver variability between the Mayo Endoscopy Score (MES), Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopy Index of Severity (UCEIS) and Ulcerative Colitis Colonoscopy Index of Severity (UCCIS) analyzing the severity of the endoscopic lesions in patients with ulcerative colitis. Patients and methods: This was a single-cohort observational study in which a colonoscopy was carried out on patients with UC, as normal clinical practice, and a video was recorded. The results from the video were classified according to the MES, UCEIS and UCCIS by three endoscopic specialists independently, and they were compared to each other. The Mayo Endoscopy Score (MES) was used to assess the clinical situation of the patient. The therapeutic impact was analyzed after colonoscopy was carried out. Results: Sixty-seven patients were included in the study. The average age was 51 (SD ± 16.7) and the average MES was 3.07 (SD± 2.54). The weighted Kappa index between endoscopists A and B for the MES was 0.8; between A and C 0.52; and between B and C 0.49. The intraclass correlation coefficient for UCEIS was 0.92 among the three endoscopists (CI 95 %: 0.83–0.96) and 0.96 for UCCIS among the three endoscopists (CI 95% 0.94–0.97). A change in treatment for 34.3% of the patients was implemented on seeing the results of the colonoscopy. Conclusions: There was an adequate, but not perfect, correlation between the different endoscopists for MES, UCEIS, UCCIS. This was higher with the last two scores. Thus, there is still some subjectivity to be minimized through special training, on assessing the seriousness of the endoscopic lesions in patients with UC

Evaluación de hidrolizados de granos de sorgo y granos de destilería secos con solubles para la producción de transglutaminasa microbiana

Sorghum grains can be used as a source of fermentable sugars to reduce the culture media cost for microbial growth of Streptomyces and the production of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase). In the production of ethanol from corn, dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGSs) are generated as waste. The aim of this work is to elucidate the biotechnological production of transglutaminase by Streptomyces mobaraensis NRRL-3191 grown in a medium containing sorghum grains hydrolysates and DDGS is feasible. The results showed that casein has a great effect on the production of MTGase while DDGS did not show any significant effect on the range of study. The model obtained predicts 0.66 U/mL of MTGase activity using enzymatic hydrolysates of sorghum grains supplemented with yeast extract (2 g/L), DDGS (2 g/L), and casein (19.5 g/L)Los granos de sorgo se pueden utilizar como fuente de azúcares fermentables para reducir los costes de medios de cultivo para el crecimiento microbiano de Streptomyces y la producción de transglutaminasa microbiana (MTGasa). En la producción de etanol a partir de maíz, se generan como residuos granos de destilería secos con solubles (DDGS). El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar si la producción biotecnológica de transglutaminasa por Streptomyces mobaraensis NRRL-3191 cultivados en un medio que contiene hidrolizados de granos de sorgo y DDGS es factible. Los resultados mostraron que la caseína tiene un gran efecto en la producción de MTGasa mientras que DDGS no mostraron un efecto significativo en el intervalo de estudio. El modelo obtenido predice 0.66 U/mL de actividad MTGase usando hidrolizados enzimáticos de granos de sorgo suplementados con extracto de levadura (2 g/L), DDGS (2 g/L) y caseína (19,5 g/L)A scholarship from CONACyT and IPN (Mexico) to G. C. Rodríguez-Castillejos is gratefully acknowledged. The authors are grateful for the financial support from the co-ordinator of Fundación Produce A.C.S

Effectiveness of salivary stimulation using xylitol-malic acid tablets as coadjuvant treatment in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease : early findings

Besides dental erosion syndrome, other oral syndromes could benefit from the stimulation of salivary secretion, in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Our aims is evaluate the improvement of oral extra-oesophageal manifestations in patients with GORD using xylitol?malic acid tablets to stimulate salivary secretion. The effectiveness of salivary stimulation using xylitol?malic acid tablets (as a supplement to omeprazole 40 mg/day) was assessed in a clinical trial (n = 14) lasting six months with patients with prior positive pH-metry, through GORD extra-oesophageal clinical signs, GerdQ and RDQ questionnaires, odontological variables, basal salivary secretion, stimulated salivary secretion, pH and buffer capacity, mucosal erythema index and dental wear. Statistics: chi-square (Haberman post-hoc), ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney U; variables between visits were evaluated with McNemar?s Student?s t and Wilcoxon tests; p < 0.05. 100% of patients not taking xylitol?malic acid presented xerostomia, but only 14.3% of patients taking xylitol?malic acid (p < 0.01) did. The mean saliva-buffer capacity at the last visit for patients not taking xylitol?malic acid was 2.14 ± 0.38, versus 2.71 ± 0.49 for patients taking xylitol?malic acid (p < 0.05). Retro-sternal burning (p < 0.05), heartburn (p < 0.05) and regurgitation (p < 0.05) were also reduced. Xylitol?malic acid tablets improve quality of life among patients with GORD, by reducing dry mouth, increasing saliva buffering and reducing heartburn, retro-sternal burning and regurgitation

Predictive Model and Mortality Risk Score during Admission for Ischaemic Stroke with Conservative Treatment

This work was supported by the "Fundacion Progreso y Salud", in the context of FPS 2020-R&I projects in Primary Care, Regional hospitals and CHARES. Grant number AP-0013-2020-C1-F1 and the APC was funded by the same.Background: Stroke is the second cause of mortality worldwide and the first in women. The aim of this study is to develop a predictive model to estimate the risk of mortality in the admission of patients who have not received reperfusion treatment. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of a clinical–administrative database, reflecting all cases of non-reperfused ischaemic stroke admitted to Spanish hospitals during the period 2008–2012. A predictive model based on logistic regression was developed on a training cohort and later validated by the “hold-out” method. Complementary machine learning techniques were also explored. Results: The resulting model had the following nine variables, all readily obtainable during initial care. Age (OR 1.069), female sex (OR 1.202), readmission (OR 2.008), hypertension (OR 0.726), diabetes (OR 1.105), atrial fibrillation (OR 1.537), dyslipidaemia (0.638), heart failure (OR 1.518) and neurological symptoms suggestive of posterior fossa involvement (OR 2.639). The predictability was moderate (AUC 0.742, 95% CI: 0.737–0.747), with good visual calibration; Pearson’s chi-square test revealed non-significant calibration. An easily consulted risk score was prepared. Conclusions: It is possible to create a predictive model of mortality for patients with ischaemic stroke from which important advances can be made towards optimising the quality and efficiency of care. The model results are available within a few minutes of admission and would provide a valuable complementary resource for the neurologist.Fundacion Progreso y Salud AP-0013-2020-C1-F

Limitaciones del Eurocódigo 1, parte 4, en la determinación de las acciones de materiales agrícolas ensilados

New Eurocode 1, part 4, supposes a great advance in the calculation methods of actions of silaged materials in Europe and Spain. Nevertheless, it still displays limitations that must corrected, for which is essential to incorporate the findings made by the different research groups, which work for a better understanding of the behavior of silaged materials and their influence on the silo structureEl nuevo Eurocódigo 1, parte 4, supone un gran avance en los métodos de cálculo de acciones del material ensilado en Europa y en España. Sin embargo, presenta aún limitaciones que deben corregirse, para lo cual resulta imprescindible incorporar los hallazgos realizados por los diferentes equipos de investigación que en todo el mundo trabajan para una mejor comprensión del comportamiento de los materiales ensilados y de las estructuras que los contiene

Eurocode 1, part 4, limitations in calculation of agricultural silaged materials actions

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Predicting Clinical Outcome with Phenotypic Clusters in COVID-19 Pneumonia: An Analysis of 12,066 Hospitalized Patients from the Spanish Registry SEMI-COVID-19

(1) Background: Different clinical presentations in COVID-19 are described to date, from mild to severe cases. This study aims to identify different clinical phenotypes in COVID-19 pneumonia using cluster analysis and to assess the prognostic impact among identified clusters in such patients. (2) Methods: Cluster analysis including 11 phenotypic variables was performed in a large cohort of 12,066 COVID-19 patients, collected and followed-up from 1 March to 31 July 2020, from the nationwide Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI)-COVID-19 Registry. (3) Results: Of the total of 12,066 patients included in the study, most were males (7052, 58.5%) and Caucasian (10,635, 89.5%), with a mean age at diagnosis of 67 years (standard deviation (SD) 16). The main pre-admission comorbidities were arterial hypertension (6030, 50%), hyperlipidemia (4741, 39.4%) and diabetes mellitus (2309, 19.2%). The average number of days from COVID-19 symptom onset to hospital admission was 6.7 (SD 7). The triad of fever, cough, and dyspnea was present almost uniformly in all 4 clinical phenotypes identified by clustering. Cluster C1 (8737 patients, 72.4%) was the largest, and comprised patients with the triad alone. Cluster C2 (1196 patients, 9.9%) also presented with ageusia and anosmia; cluster C3 (880 patients, 7.3%) also had arthromyalgia, headache, and sore throat; and cluster C4 (1253 patients, 10.4%) also manifested with diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Compared to each other, cluster C1 presented the highest in-hospital mortality (24.1% vs. 4.3% vs. 14.7% vs. 18.6%; p 20 bpm, lower PaO2/FiO2 at admission, higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the phenotypic cluster as independent factors for in-hospital death. (4) Conclusions: The present study identified 4 phenotypic clusters in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, which predicted the in-hospital prognosis of clinical outcomes