Antibacterial activity of crude extracts from Mexican plants against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 36 extracts from 18 vegetal species used as soap, insecticides, insect repellent and for the treatment of several diseases likely associated to microorganisms. The vegetal species were collected in Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz States, México. The extracts were evaluated against isolates of nosocomial infections of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus coagulase negative resistant to Methicillin by a modificated agar diffusion method. The results demonstrate an important antibacterial effect in vitro, against all of the strains of Staphylococcus tested mainly with those from Vernonanthura oaxacana, Trixis silvatica, and with those of Perezia hebeclada. The minimum inhibitory concentration for V. oaxacana and P. hebeclada was 250 μg/disc and for T. silvatica it was 15 μg/disc. These extracts showed an important potential that would contribute to the development of new agents against infections by Staphylococcus.Key words: Crude extracts, antimicrobial activity, intrahospitalary infections, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus coagulase negative

COVID-19 pandemic on coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases in Southern Spain: interrupted time series analysis

Objective: Healthcare systems have been put under intense pressure by the COVID-19 pandemic, although some studies have shown a decline in hospital admissions for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases during the first and second wave of the pandemic. In addition, studies analyzing gender and procedural differences are scarce. The present study aimed to determine the impact of the pandemic on hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in Andalusia (Spain) and analyzed differences by gender and by percutaneous coronary interventions performed. Patients and methods: An interrupted time series analysis of AMI and CVD hospital admissions in Andalusia (Spain) was carried out to measure the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. AMI and CVD cases admitted daily in public hospitals of Andalusia between January 2018 and December 2020 were included. Results: During the pandemic, significant reductions in AMI [-19%; 95% confidence interval (CI): (-29%, -9%), p<0.001] and CVD [-17%; 95% CI: (-26%, -9%); p<0.01] in daily hospital admissions were observed. Differences were also produced according to the diagnosis (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, other AMI and stroke), with a greater reduction in females for AMI and in males for CVD. Although there were more percutaneous coronary interventions during the pandemic, no significant reductions were observed. Conclusions: A decline in AMI and CVD daily hospital admissions during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic was noted. Gender differences were observed, but no clear impact was observed in percutaneous interventions

Use of Whole-genome Sequencing of Adenovirus in Immunocompromised Paediatric Patients to Identify Nosocomial Transmission and Mixed-genotype Infection

Background: Adenoviruses are significant pathogens for the immunocompromised, arising from primary infection or reinfection. Serotyping is insufficient to support nosocomial transmission investigations. We investigate whether whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides clinically relevant information on transmission among patients in a paediatric tertiary hospital. Methods: We developed a target-enriched adenovirus WGS technique for clinical samples and retrospectively sequenced 107 adenovirus-positive residual diagnostic samples, including viraemias (>5x104 copies/ml), from 37 patients collected January 2011 - March 2016. WGS was used to determine genotype and for phylogenetic analysis. Results: Adenovirus sequences were recovered from 105/107 samples. Full genome sequences were recovered from all 20 non-species C samples and from 36/85 species C viruses, with partial genome sequences recovered from the rest. Whole genome phylogenetic analysis suggested linkage of three genotype A31 cases and uncovered an unsuspected epidemiological link to an A31 infection first detected on the same ward four years earlier. In nine samples from one patient who died we identified a mixed genotype adenovirus infection. Conclusions: Adenovirus WGS from clinical samples is possible and useful for genotyping and molecular epidemiology. WGS identified likely nosocomial transmission with greater resolution than conventional genotyping, and distinguished between adenovirus disease due to single or multiple genotypes

International comparison of spending and utilization at the end of life for hip fracture patients.

ObjectiveTo identify and explore differences in spending and utilization of key health services at the end of life among hip fracture patients across seven developed countries.Data sourcesIndividual-level claims data from the inpatient and outpatient health care sectors compiled by the International Collaborative on Costs, Outcomes, and Needs in Care (ICCONIC).Study designWe retrospectively analyzed utilization and spending from acute hospital care, emergency department, outpatient primary care and specialty physician visits, and outpatient drugs. Patterns of spending and utilization were compared in the last 30, 90, and 180 days across Australia, Canada, England, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, and the United States. We employed linear regression models to measure age- and sex-specific effects within and across countries. In addition, we analyzed hospital-centricity, that is, the days spent in hospital and site of death.Data collection/extraction methodsWe identified patients who sustained a hip fracture in 2016 and died within 12 months from date of admission.Principal findingsResource use, costs, and the proportion of deaths in hospital showed large variability being high in England and Spain, while low in New Zealand. Days in hospital significantly decreased with increasing age in Canada, Germany, Spain, and the United States. Hospital spending near date of death was significantly lower for women in Canada, Germany, and the United States. The age gradient and the sex effect were less pronounced in utilization and spending of emergency care, outpatient care, and drugs.ConclusionsAcross seven countries, we find important variations in end-of-life care for patients who sustained a hip fracture, with some differences explained by sex and age. Our work sheds important insights that may help ongoing health policy discussions on equity, efficiency, and reimbursement in health care systems

Wet deposition in the remote western and central Mediterranean as a source of trace metals to surface seawater

Abstract. This study reports the only recent characterization of two contrasted wet deposition events collected during the PEACETIME (ProcEss studies at the Air–sEa Interface after dust deposition in the MEditerranean Sea) cruise in the open Mediterranean Sea (Med Sea) and their impact on trace metal (TM) marine stocks. Rain samples were analysed for Al, 12 TMs (Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, V and Zn) and nutrient (N, P, dissolved organic carbon) concentrations. The first rain sample collected in the Ionian Sea (Rain ION) was a typical regional background wet deposition event, whereas the second rain sample collected in the Algerian Basin (Rain FAST) was a Saharan dust wet deposition event. Even in the remote Med Sea, all background TM inputs presented an anthropogenic signature, except for Fe, Mn and Ti. The concentrations of TMs in the two rain samples were significantly lower compared to concentrations in rains collected at coastal sites reported in the literature, due to the decrease in anthropogenic emissions during the preceding decades. The atmospheric TM inputs were mainly dissolved forms, even in dusty Rain FAST. The TM stocks in the mixed layer (ML, 0–20 m) at the FAST station before and after the event showed that the atmospheric inputs were a significant supply of particulate TMs and dissolved Fe and Co for surface seawater. Even if the wet deposition delivers TMs mainly in soluble form, the post-deposition aerosol dissolution could to be a key additional pathway in the supply of dissolved TMs. At the scale of the western and central Mediterranean, the atmospheric inputs were of the same order of magnitude as ML stocks for dissolved Fe, Co and Zn, highlighting the role of the atmosphere in their biogeochemical cycles in the stratified Med Sea. In case of intense dust-rich wet deposition events, the role of atmospheric inputs as an external source was extended to dissolved Co, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn. Our results suggest that the wet deposition constitutes only a source of some of dissolved TMs for Med Sea surface waters. The contribution of dry deposition to the atmospheric TM inputs needs to be investigated.</jats:p

Australian Sphingidae – DNA Barcodes Challenge Current Species Boundaries and Distributions

© 2014 Rougerie et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article

PCR-TTGE Analysis of 16S rRNA from Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Gut Microbiota Reveals Host-Specific Communities of Active Bacteria

This study assessed the relative contributions of host genetics and diet in shaping the gut microbiota of rainbow trout. Full sibling fish from four unrelated families, each consisting of individuals derived from the mating of one male and one female belonging to a breeding program, were fed diets containing either vegetable proteins or vegetable oils for two months in comparison to a control diet consisting of only fish protein and fish oil. Two parallel approaches were applied on the same samples: transcriptionally active bacterial populations were examined based on RNA analysis and were compared with bacterial populations obtained from DNA analysis. Comparison of temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) profiles from DNA and RNA showed important differences, indicating that active bacterial populations were better described by RNA analysis. Results showed that some bacterial groups were significantly (P<0.05) associated with specific families, indicating that microbiota composition may be influenced by the host. In addition, the effect of diet on microbiota composition was dependent on the trout family