Sortase mutants with improved protein thermostability and enzymatic activity obtained by consensus design

Staphylococcus aureus sortase A (SaSrtA) is an enzyme that anchors proteins to the cell surface of Gram-positive bacteria. During the transpeptidation reaction performed by SaSrtA, proteins containing an N-terminal glycine can be covalently linked to another protein with a C-terminal LPXTG motif (X being any amino acid). Since the sortase reaction can be performed in vitro as well, it has found many applications in biotechnology. Although sortase-mediated ligation has many advantages, SaSrtA is limited by its low enzymatic activity and dependence on Ca2+. In our study, we evaluated the thermodynamic stability of the SaSrtA wild type and found the enzyme to be stable. We applied consensus analysis to further improve the enzyme's stability while at the same time enhancing the enzyme's activity. As a result, we found thermodynamically improved, more active and Ca2+-independent mutants. We envision that these new variants can be applied in conjugation reactions in low Ca2+ environments

Contribución al conocimiento de la flora extremeña (España)

New floristic records for Valladolid province. IIPalabras clave. Corología, flora vascular, España, Valladolid.Key words. Chorology, vascular flora, Spain, Valladolid

Exoesqueleto actuado por SMA para movilización de la muñeca

[Resumen] La mano juega un papel fundamental en la relación del ser humano con su entorno, siendo las tareas de manipulación de enorme importancia en la vida diaria. Pero la mano es una extremidad frágil, un gran número de enfermedades y trastornos musculo-esqueléticos y neurológicos derivan en la pérdida total o parcial de la movilidad de esta extremidad. De aquí la importancia de las terapias de rehabilitación dirigidas a recuperar y/o mantener su movilidad. En este artículo se presenta el diseño preliminar de un dispositivo robótico para la rehabilitación de la muñeca con 2 g.d.l., con actuadores basados en fibras de SMA (Shape Memory Alloy). Gracias a este sistema de actuación el exoesqueleto es extremadamente ligero, de actuación silenciosa y con una estructura muy simple. El número de actuadores y el diseño preliminar se han calculado a partir de la simulación del comportamiento biomecánico del cuerpo humano con un tipo específico de pacientes.Los autores expresan su agradecimiento por los fondos recibidos a través de los proyectos RoboHealth (DPI2013-47944-C4-3-R) y RoboCity2030-III-CM project (Robótica aplicada a la mejora de la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos. Fase III; S2013/MIT-2748), financiado por Programas de Actividades I+D en la Comunidad de Madrid y cofinanciado por Fondos Estructurales de la EUComunidad de Madrid; S2013/MIT-2748https://doi.org/10.17979/spudc.978849749808

Transformación digital y formación en competencias. Un proyecto de innovación educativa España-México

La crisis sanitaria y el distanciamiento social impuesto por la pandemia, ha puesto en evidencia la urgente necesidad que tienen los profesionales de adquirir competencias digitales, que les faculte para atender las tareas de estos en el nuevo ecosistema de la información y la comunicación en la actual Sociedad del Conocimiento.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Sensory and Physicochemical Analysis of Meat from Bovine Breeds in Different Livestock Production Systems, Pre-Slaughter Handling Conditions, and Ageing Time

Different bovine breeds and production systems are used worldwide, giving rise to differences in intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of beef. In order to meet the consumer requirements, new approaches are currently being developed to guarantee tenderness, taste, and juiciness of beef. However, the final consumer perception is complex, and it is also affected by several interrelated variables. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical parameters and sensory profile of three Spanish cattle breeds under different livestock production systems (extensive and intensive) and pre-slaughter handling conditions (mixing and not mixing with unfamiliar individuals at pre-mortem time). Meat samples from each group were also studied at different ageing times (7 and 14 days). Regarding sensory attributes, twelve panelists assessed meat samples and an exhaustive statistical analysis was carried out. The most evident and strongest effect was the breed type, allowing a great differentiation among them using principal components and discriminant analysis. The livestock production system was the second most important parameter, significantly affecting odor, flavor, and textural profile (fibrousness). It can be concluded that there were marked differences in the traits of these beef that could be modified by other factors in order to fulfill consumer tastesAuthors are grateful to RTA 2014-00034-C04-00 (INIA-MINECO) and FEDER funds for the financial support. Special thanks for financial support from the Xunta de Galicia and the European Union (ESF) for supporting Raquel Rodríguez-Vázquez pre-doctoral scholarship. Daniel Franco and José M. Lorenzo are members of the HealthyMeat network, funded by CYTED (Ref. 119RT0568)S

SINCRONIZACIÓN DE DATOS ENTRE SISTEMAS DE PRODUCCIÓN Y ENSAYO

ResumenEn equipos de desarrollo de software profesionales, existes diferentes ambientes en los cuales se pueden probar cambios de código fuente, realizar pruebas de funcionalidad o cambios experimentales, para esto, existen principalmente tres entornos: Desarrollo, Ensayo y Producción. Esta investigación se centra en cómo establecer una comunicación y sincronización de información entre los entornos de producción y ensayo, esto debido a la problemática que enfrenta un equipo de desarrollo de software para realizar pruebas de nuevas funcionalidades con información real y confiable, y no con datos ficticios. Realizar estas pruebas con datos reales utilizados en un sistema en producción sobre un escenario de ensayo, permite a los usuarios y clientes del sistema probar las nuevas funcionalidades en un ambiente lo más real posible y así detectar posibles errores que se puedan presentar cuando éstas se trasladen a producción en un entorno real. Existen muchas técnicas que permiten la comunicación y sincronización de información entre sistemas desde servicios web, restauraciones de base de datos, hasta comunicación directa entre base de datos. La investigación se centra en la comunicación de dos bases de datos por dblink, un paquete que pertenece al popular gestor de base de datos libre llamado PostgreSQL, utilizado actualmente por empresas, instituciones públicas y privadas para sus sistemas en entornos de producción, además de estudiantes durante el aprendizaje.Palabra(s) Clave: Dblink, Ensayo, Postgresql, Producción, Sincronización. SYNCHRONIZATION OF DATA BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND TESTING SYSTEMSAbstractIn professional software development teams, there are different environments in which you can test source code changes, perform functionality tests or experimental changes, for this, there are mainly three environments: Development, Staging and Production. This research focuses on how to establish communication and synchronization of information between production and staging environments, due to the problems faced by a software development team to test new functionalities with real and reliable information, and not with fictitious data. Carrying out these tests with real data used in a production system on a staging scenario allows the users and clients of the system to test the new functionalities in an environment as real as possible and to detect possible errors that may occur when they are transferred to production in a real environment. There are many techniques that allow the communication and synchronization of information between systems as web services, database restorations and direct communication between databases. The research focuses on the communication of two databases by "dblink", a package belonging to the popular free database manager PostgreSQL, currently used by companies, public and private institutions for their production systems, as well as students in learning environments.Keywords: Dblink, Postgresql, Production system, Stage system, Synchronization

Basophil activation test is a complementary tool in the diagnosis of immediate reactions to platinum salts and taxanes

Background Delabelling pathways offer confirmatory diagnosis and can prevent unnecessary second-line therapies or drug desensitization procedures after chemotherapeutic hypersensitivity reactions (CHT-HSRs). However, these pathways rely on risky in vivo tests. Data on whether in vitro tests could be helpful are scarce. We assessed the role of basophil activation test (BAT) in the diagnosis of HSRs to platin salts (PSs) and taxanes (TXs) in a well-defined population featuring varied endophenotypes and severities of HSRs. Methods We conducted a 3-year-long multicentric, prospective study with 121 suspected-immediate CHT-HSR patients. The allergy workup included clinical history (initial reaction based on Type I, cytokine release syndrome, and mixed phenotype's symptoms and if unable to fit in any of these, as “indeterminate”), skin testing (ST), and drug provocation testing (DPT), provided risk assessment was favorable. Final diagnosis classified patients as “hypersensitive,” “non-hypersensitive,” or “inconclusive.” We performed BAT using CD63 and CD203c as activation markers in patients and controls. Patients underwent DPT regardless of BAT results to prevent bias. Results ST positivity significantly correlated with skin involvement, Type I phenotype, cancer recurrence, and lifetime exposures before reactions. DPTs were negative in all indeterminate phenotype patients (p = .02) and those considered low-risk, whereas they were negative in 62% moderate-risk patients. 55% were confirmed as hypersensitive (mainly Type I reactions, p < .0001), 24% as non-hypersensitive (mainly TXs and indeterminate phenotypes), and 21% as inconclusive. BAT showed 79% sensitivity in Type I IgE-mediated reactions to PSs with a high correlation to ST.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), grants co-founded by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional—FEDER for the Thematic Networks and Co-operative Research Centres: PI22/01119; PI18/00095; RETICS ARADYAL RD16/0006/0001, RICORS REI (RD21/0002/0008); Biobank network RD09/0076/00112; Biobank platform PT13/0010/0006; Andalusian Regional Ministry of Economy and Knowledge (grants PI-0076-2019). G.B. is a clinical investigator (B-0007-2022), research contract by Andalusian Regional Ministry Health. A.A. thanks Senior Postdoctoral Contract (RH-0099-2020) from Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health (co-funded by European Social Fund [ESF]: “Andalucía se mueve con Europa”) and “Nicolas Monardes” research contract by Andalusian Regional Ministry Health (C1-0007-2023). CLM holds a P-FIS contract (FI23/00027) by ISCIII. SCS holds a predoctoral contract by Andalusian Regional Goverment (PREDOC_01545). CM holds a “Nicolas Monardes” research contract by Andalusian Regional Ministry Health (RC-0004-2021)

La humanización de la asistencia sanitaria y su comunicación a través de la responsabilidad social = The humanization of health care and its communication through social responsibility

Resumen: Los hospitales siempre han tenido, per se, una función social de gran importancia puesto que su principal actividad se centra en curar y cuidar a los enfermos. Sin embargo, lograr que esa asistencia sanitaria sea más humana resulta de la mayor relevancia. La aplicación de los conceptos que sustentan las iniciativas de Responsabilidad Social podrían constituir una herramienta adecuada para el análisis y la deliberación con el objetivo de desarrollar un plan para la humanización de la asistencia sanitaria en colaboración con la Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago de Compostela, para ello seguimos una estructura lógica secuencial. En primer lugar, se identificaron los grupos de interés involucrados en el sector sanitario, ana­lizando su implicación en la humanización de la asistencia sanitaria, y su nivel de influencia, permitiendo la realización de un análisis de materialidad. En segundo lugar, se objetivaron las mejores prácticas en el ámbito de la asistencia clínica hospitalaria, comparando cinco organizaciones sanitarias de ámbito na­cional. Por último, se procedió al diseño de un plan concretando acciones a desarrollar. Concluimos que los postulados de la Responsabilidad Social y su comunicación eficaz podrían constituir una excelente estrategia hacia el logro de la humanización de la atención sanitaria.Palabras clave: Responsabilidad Social; Humanización; Asistencia sanitaria; Comunicación.Abstract: Hospitals have always been institutions with an important social role because their principal activity consists in cure and treat the ill. However, making the health care more humane it’s really important. The use of the concepts that support the Social responsibility initiatives could constitute a suitable tool for the deliberation and analysis with the objective of developing a plan with the purpose of humanizing the healthcare system in collaboration with the Xeren­cia de Xestión Integrada of Santiago de Compostela, for that we follow a sequential logic structure. To begin with, the interest groups involved in the health system are identified, analyzing its implication in the humanization of the healthcare, and its level of influence, allowing the elaboration of a materialization analysis. In addition to, the best practices in the health care system have been objectified, comparing five health organizations in the national sphere. Finally a plan stating what actions should be developed was designed. We conclude that the postulates of Social Responsibility and it’s effective communication could be an excellent strategy to achieve the humanization of the healthcare system.Keywords: Social Responsability; Humanization; Healthcare; Communication

Characterization of Ageing- and Diet-Related Swine Models of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity

Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are currently considered major global threats for health and well-being. However, there is a lack of adequate preclinical models for their study. The present trial evaluated the suitability of aged swine by determining changes in adiposity, fatty acids composition, antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation, development of metabolic disturbances and structural changes in tissues and organs. Iberian sows with clinical evidence of aging-related sarcopenia were fed a standard diet fulfilling their maintenance requirements or an obesogenic diet for 100 days. Aging and sarcopenia were related to increased lipid accumulation and cellular dysfunction at both adipose tissue and non-adipose ectopic tissues (liver and pancreas). Obesity concomitant to sarcopenia aggravates the condition by increasing visceral adiposity and causing dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and lipotoxicity in non-adipose tissues. These results support that the Iberian swine model represents certain features of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in humans, paving the way for future research on physiopathology of these conditions and possible therapeutic targets

Challenges in the development of psychological interventions and care practice in mental health

Aunque hemos avanzado notablemente en el desarrollo de recursos preventivos y especialmente, en la eficacia de los tratamientos psicológicos que intentan paliar los trastornos mentales, estamos aún lejos de la situación óptima. Este trabajo se centra en dos grandes cuestiones que consideramos retos y necesidades fundamentales en este ámbito: (a) la necesidad de mejorar y extender la prevención, la intervención temprana y la promoción de la salud mental y (b) la necesidad de una mayor divulgación de los tratamientos psicológicos eficaces, el desarrollo de nuevas intervenciones y la mayor comprensión de los mecanismos de acción de los tratamientos psicológicos. El objetivo es promover la discusión entre los agentes implicados y reflexionar sobre las líneas de trabajo que creemos prioritariasAlthough we have made significant progress in the development of preventive tools and especially in the efficacy of the psychological treatments, we are still far from an optimal situation. This paper focuses on two major issues which we consider fundamental challenges and urges in this area: (a) the need for improving and spreading prevention, early intervention, and the promotion of mental health and (b) the need for greater dissemination of effective psychological treatments, the development of new interventions and greater understanding of the mechanisms of action of psychological treatments. The aim is to promote discussion among all stakeholders and debate on those lines we think as priorityEste trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio Español de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), a través de la Red de Excelencia PROMOSAM financiada por el MINECO (PSI2014-56303-REDT