Isolation of Neisseria meningitidis strains with increase of penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations

We report the isolation and characterization of ten strains showing an increase in the minimal inhibitory concentrations to penicillin (MICs > 0·1 μg/ml), and describe the epidemiological, clinical and microbiological features. The susceptibility of 3432 meningococcal strains isolated from patients in the recent epidemic wave (1978–86) in Spain, to several antimicrobial agents used in the treatment and chemoprophylaxis of meningococcal infection has been tested. Most were resistant to sulphadiazine but sensitive to other antibiotics. The possible existence of a new pattern of behaviour of meningococcal to penicillin is discussed

Physical exercise neuroprotects ovariectomized 3xTg-AD mice through BDNF mechanisms

Postmenopausal women may be more vulnerable to cognitive loss and Alzheimer's disease (AD) than premenopausal women because of their deficiency in estrogens, in addition to their usually older age. Aerobic physical exercise has been proposed as a therapeutic approach for maintaining health and well-being in postmenopausal women, and for improving brain health and plasticity in populations at high risk for AD. To study the neuroprotective mechanisms of physical exercise in a postmenopausal animal model, we submitted previously ovariectomized, six-month old non-transgenic and 3xTg-AD mice to three months of voluntary exercise in a running wheel. At nine months of age, we observed lower grip strength and some exacerbation of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)-like involving active exploratory activities. A similar major cognitive impairment was observed of ovariectomized 3xTg-AD mice in comparison with sham-operated 3xTg-AD mice. A reduction of bodily fitness and lack of retention of memory were observed in the ovariectomized non-transgenic mice. Physical exercise protected against all deleterious behaviors and normalized learning and memory. It also protected against body frailty, as expected. Analyses of hippocampal key markers of antioxidant and neuroplasticity signaling pathways, showed that ovariectomy impairs the activation of CREB through physical exercise. Furthermore, molecular and behavioral correlates suggested a central role of BDNF in the neuroprotection mediated by physical exercise therapy against apathy and memory loss induced by ovariectomy and the AD-genotype. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.This study was supported by grants: SAF2009-13093-C02-02, SAF2010-19498, SAF2012-39852-C02-02 and CSD2010-00045 from the Spanish MINECO; 2009/SGR/214 from the Generalitat and 062931 from the Fundació La Marató de TV3, of Catalonia; and 35NEURO GentxGent. Yoelvis García-Mesa acknowledges support received from the Fundació La Marató de TV3Peer Reviewe

Modelling the generalised median correspondence through an edit distance.

On the one hand, classification applications modelled by structural pattern recognition, in which elements are represented as strings, trees or graphs, have been used for the last thirty years. In these models, structural distances are modelled as the correspondence (also called matching or labelling) between all the local elements (for instance nodes or edges) that generates the minimum sum of local distances. On the other hand, the generalised median is a well-known concept used to obtain a reliable prototype of data such as strings, graphs and data clusters. Recently, the structural distance and the generalised median has been put together to define a generalise median of matchings to solve some classification and learning applications. In this paper, we present an improvement in which the Correspondence edit distance is used instead of the classical Hamming distance. Experimental validation shows that the new approach obtains better results in reasonable runtime compared to other median calculation strategies

Real-Time PCR Improves Helicobacter pylori Detection in Patients with Peptic Ulcer Bleeding

Background and aims: Histological and rapid urease tests to detect H. pylori in biopsy specimens obtained during peptic ulcer bleeding episodes (PUB) often produce false-negative results. We aimed to examine whether immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR can improve the sensitivity of these biopsies. Patients and Methods: We selected 52 histology-negative formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens obtained during PUB episodes. Additional tests showed 10 were true negatives and 42 were false negatives. We also selected 17 histology-positive biopsy specimens obtained during PUB to use as controls. We performed immunohistochemistry staining and real-time PCR for 16S rRNA, ureA, and 23S rRNA for H. pylori genes on all specimens. Results: All controls were positive for H. pylori on all PCR assays and immunohistochemical staining. Regarding the 52 initially negative biopsies, all PCR tests were significantly more sensitive than immunohistochemical staining (p<0.01). Sensitivity and specificity were 55% and 80% for 16S rRNA PCR, 43% and 90% for ureA PCR, 41% and 80% for 23S rRNA PCR, and 7% and 100% for immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Combined analysis of PCR assays for two genes were significantly more sensitive than ureA or 23S rRNA PCR tests alone (p<0.05) and marginally better than 16S rRNA PCR alone. The best combination was 16S rRNA+ureA, with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 80%. Conclusions: Real-time PCR improves the detection of H. pylori infection in histology-negative formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy samples obtained during PUB episodes. The low reported prevalence of H. pylori in PUB may be due to the failure of conventional tests to detect infection

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Title: Expression of GDNF transgene in astrocytes improves cognitive deficits in aged rats

Abstract Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was assayed for its neurotrophic effects against the neuronal atrophy that causes cognitive deficits in old age. Aged Fisher 344 rats with impairment in the Morris water maze received intrahippocampal injections at the dorsal CA1 area of either a lentiviral vector encoding human GDNF or the same vector encoding human green fluorescent protein as a control. Recombinant lentiviral vectors constructed with human cytomegalovirus promotor and pseudotyped with lyssavirus Mokola glycoprotein specifically transduced the astrocytes in vivo. Astrocyte-secreted GDNF enhanced neuron function as shown by local increases in synthesis of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine and serotonin. This neurotrophic effect led to cognitive improvement of the rats as early as two weeks after gene transduction. Spatial learning and memory testing showed a significant gain in cognitive abilities due to GDNF exposure, whereas control-transduced rats kept their performance at the chance level. These results confirm the broad spectrum of the neurotrophic action of GDNF and open new gene therapy possibilities for reducing age-related neurodegeneration

El ejercicio físico neuroprotege vía BDNF enun modelo murino de postmenopausia con enfermedad de Alzheimer

Comunicación presentada en el 55º Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología, celebrado del 12 al 14 de junio de 2013 en Valencia (España)Objetivos: Las mujeres posmenopáusicas son más vulnerables frente al declive cognitivo y la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) a causa de su deficiencia estrogénica. Por otro lado, el ejercicio físico ha sido considerado como una eficaz aproximación terapéutica para mantener la salud y el correcto estado psicológico tras la menopausia, así como para mejorar la plasticidad cerebral en la población con riesgo de padecer Alzheimer. Por ello nos planteamos estudiar los mecanismos por los que el ejercicio físico puede contribuir a mejorar la clínica de modelos de posmenopausia y/o EA. Métodos: Sometimos a ratones de seis meses de edad, triple transgénicos para la EA (3xTg-EA) y previamente ovariectomizados, así como a sus respectivos controles, a tres meses de ejercicio voluntario en rueda. Estudiamos, mediante distintos test cognitivos, su evolución psicológica y, tras sacrificarlos, analizamos distintos parámetros moleculares relacionados con vías neurotróficas, estatus antioxidante y metabolismo cerebral. Resultados: A los nueve meses de edad encontramos un significativo empeoramiento de los síntomas conductuales y psicológicos así como un declive cognitivo, propios de la demencia, en los ratones 3xTg-EA ovariectomizados en comparación con los 3xTg controles. Además, los ratones no transgénicos ovariectomizados también mostraron signos de alteraciones cognitivas. El ejercicio físico protegió contra el deterioro comportamental y normalizó la capacidad de aprendizaje y memoria. El estudio de los biomarcadores hipocampales clave del estatus antioxidante y de la plasticidad neuronal sugirió un rol central del BDNF en la neuroprotección contra la ansiedad, apatía y declive cognitivo inducido por la ovariectomía en el genotipo de EA. Conclusiones: Las mejoras cognitivas y psicológicas encontradas en los ratones 3xTg-EA confirman resultados encontrados por nuestro grupo en otros modelos. Por otro lado, las alteraciones cognitivas inducidas por la ovariectomía y/o aquellas provocadas por el genotipo de EA son considerablemente revertidas a través del ejercicio físicoPeer Reviewe

Marcadores genéticos de eficacia y toxicidad a metotrexato en una población española con artritis reumatoide

El Metotrexato (MTX) es considerado como “patrón oro” del tratamiento de la artritis reumatoide (AR). Presenta una amplia gama de perfil de eficacia y de toxicidad dependiendo del individuo. Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la influencia de factores clínicos y demográficos de los polimorfismos de nucleótido simple (SNPs) en los genes relacionados con el metabolismo de la AR y del MTX, así como la activación de los neutrófilos basales en la respuesta y en la toxicidad al MTX en monoterapia. Métodos: En total 80 pacientes con AR fueron tratados en monoterapia con MTX durante 12 meses. Se recogieron las características clínicas y demográficas junto con el ARNm de neutrófilos en sangre para la expresión de genes y el DNA de la sangre para el genotipado. La expresión del ARNm de neutrófilo, se analizó en 8 marcadores inflamatorios en tiempo real por PCR y el DNA genotipado se ensayó en 16 SNPs localizados en 12 genes diferentes por la discriminación alélica. Resultados: La escasa repuesta al MTX en monoterapia se asoció al tabaquismo activo (P=0,042) y PNTP22 rs2476601 CC homocigotos (3,55 (0,96-13,1) P=0,009), mientras que la positividad del anticuerpo anti- citrulinado (P=0,041) y SLCO1B1 rs11045879 CC genotipo (3,84 (1,57- 14,12) P=0,032), se asoció con la toxicidad al MTX en un análisis univa- riante. Después de la corrección en un análisis multivariante, solo PNTP22 rs2476601 CC y SLCO1B1 rs11045879 CC genotipos se asociaron independientemente con una baja respuesta y toxicidad al MTX respectivamente. También se observó una asociación de la activación del neutrófilo basal periférico y la respuesta favorable al MTX. Conclusión: Los genotipos PNTP22 rs2476601 CC y SLCO1B1 rs11045879 CC se asocian a una mala respuesta y toxicidad al MTX, mientras que la activación del neutrófilo basal estuvo asociada a la buena respuesta al tratamiento con MTX en monoterapia. Estos resultados podrían tener un gran valor para reforzar nuestro conocimiento sobre las influencias de los marcadores genéticos, clínicos y celulares en la actividad del MTX

Graph Edit Distance in the exact context

International audienceThis paper presents a new Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) formulation for the Graph Edit Distance (GED) problem. The contribution is an exact method that solves the GED problem for attributed graphs. It has an advantage over the best existing one when dealing with the case of dense of graphs, because all its constraints are independent from the number of edges in the graphs. The experiments have shown the efficiency of the new formulation in the exact context