Potential Impact of the Resistance to Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants on the Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Processing Environments

The persistence of certain strains of Listeria monocytogenes, even after the food processing environment has been cleaned and disinfected, suggests that this may be related to phenomena that reduce the concentration of the disinfectants to subinhibitory levels. This includes (i) the existence of environmental niches or reservoirs that are difficult for disinfectants to reach, (ii) microorganisms that form biofilms and create microenvironments in which adequate concentrations of disinfectants cannot be attained, and (iii) the acquisition of resistance mechanisms in L. monocytogenes, including those that lead to a reduction in the intracellular concentration of the disinfectants. The only available data with regard to the resistance of L. monocytogenes to disinfectants applied in food production environments refer to genotypic resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). Although there are several well-characterized efflux pumps that confer resistance to QACs, it is a low-level resistance that does not generate resistance to QACs at the concentrations applied in the food industry. However, dilution in the environment and biodegradation result in QAC concentration gradients. As a result, the microorganisms are frequently exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of QACs. Therefore, the low-level resistance to QACs in L. monocytogenes may contribute to its environmental adaptation and persistence. In fact, in certain cases, the relationship between low-level resistance and the environmental persistence of L. monocytogenes in different food production chains has been previously established. The resistant strains would have survival advantages in these environments over sensitive strains, such as the ability to form biofilms in the presence of increased biocide concentrations.The authors were supported by grants RTA2011-00098-C02 and RTA2014-00045-C03 (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain, Plan Nacional I+D+i co-financed by INIA and FEDER) during the preparation of this manuscript.S

Whole-Genome Sequences of Seven Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Different Stages of a Poultry Meat Production Chain

Here, we present the draft genome sequences of seven Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated during three independent studies carried out in three stages of a poultry meat production chain. The genome sequences of these strains obtained from different stages can help to understand the possible transmission of L. monocytogenes.This work was supported in part by research project grant RTA2014-00045-C03 (INIA FEDER) from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. The support of the company Nutreco is also acknowledged. We thank the Unidad de Genómica (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain) and Pilar López (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain) for technical assistance.S

Strain and growth conditions may regulate resistance of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms to banzalkonium chloride

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the main foodborne pathogens. The formation of biofilms by L. monocytogenes contributes to its resistance to disinfectants, which represents a serious risk for food production plants. The aim of this study was to compare the e ect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) (1.25 or 2.5 mg/L) on biofilm production and on biofilm reduction after exposure to an inhibitory concentration of BAC (1280 mg/L) in two isogenic L. monocytogenes strains: the BAC-sensitive wild-type strain S2-1 and its BAC-resistant mutant derivative S2BAC, which presented a multidrug resistance phenotype. The biofilm-forming ability of the strains under di erent BAC concentrations was evaluated by the resazurin method using polystyrene microplates. The biofilm reduction after BAC exposure was evaluated by using stainless steel coupons (SSCs). When the resazurin method was used, S2BAC produced significantly more biofilm in the presence of a sub-inhibitory concentration of BAC compared to that in the culture medium without BAC (p < 0.05). When the SSC method was used, the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of BAC resulted in a higher resistance of the biofilm for S2BAC compared to that in the culture medium without BAC (p < 0.05). This was not observed with the sensitive S2-1 strain. These results suggest that biofilm behavior depends on the strain and sub-inhibitory concentrations of disinfectants and may explain the ability of certain isolates to persist in niches of food processing plantsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Monitorización de la presión tisular de oxígeno (ptio2) en la UVI del Hospital de la Ribera y hoja de registro de Enfermería

[email protected] monitorización de la presión tisular de oxigeno (PtiO2) permite el conocimiento de las repercusiones de las lesiones tisulares y el diagnóstico de lesiones secundarias en el paciente con traumatismo craneoencefálico grave (TCEG). Este método de monitorización detecta cambios fisiopatológicos que conllevan las lesiones neurotraumáticas. El objetivo de nuestro artículo es describir y analizar este tipo de monitorización, así como los cuidados de enfermería con relación a los casos que hemos atendido en nuestra unidad y según nuestra experiencia. Se ha confeccionado una hoja de “registro de enfermería” que contiene los datos del paciente, diagnóstico, tipo de catéter, constantes horarias, etc. Con estos controles, pretendemos recoger las posibles complicaciones derivadas del catéter y del propio proceso del paciente, mejorando de esta manera la calidad asistencial.Tissue pressure of oxygen (PtiO2) monitoring allows knowing the tissue injuries implications, and the diagnosis of secondary lesions in the patient with craneoencephalic traumatism. This monitoring method detects physiopathologic changes brought about by neurotraumatic injuries. The objective of our contribution is to describe and analyze this specific type of monitoring and the nurse cares with relationship to the cases taken care of in our unit, according to our experience. A Nurse’s Record Card has been developed, containing the patient's name, diagnosis, medical history number, catheter type, schedules, etc. In this way, the possible complications derived from the catheter and from the patient's own development will be avoided, and nursing quality care will be [email protected]

Eating quality of beef from biotypes included in the PGI “Ternera Asturiana” showing distinct physicochemical characteristics and tenderization pattern

determine if their differences in physicochemical characteristics and tenderization pattern during maturation (3 to 21 days) had an effect on the consumer evaluation of beef palatability. Biotype affected significantly pH, water holding capacity, chemical composition (Pb0.001) and meat lightness (Pb0.05). Ageing time affected significantly (Pb0.05) colour, meat toughness and sensory attributes in a different way within each biotype. Multivariate analysis showed two different meat groups: 1) meat from mh-genotypes, characterized by high juice losses, lightness (L*), protein content and high sensory acceptability at intermediate (7 and 14 days) ageing times; 2) meat from rustic (AM) breed and biotypes free of myostatin mutation (AV (+/+) and AV×AM), showing higher intramuscular fat, myoglobin content, and instrumental toughness and requiring longer storage times (21 days). This should be taken into account for the proper post-mortem management and commercialization of each product to achieve its best sensory quality

Maximum Entropy Limit of Small-scale Magnetic Field Fluctuations in the Quiet Sun

The observed magnetic field on the solar surface is characterized by a very complex spatial and temporal behavior. Although feature-tracking algorithms have allowed us to deepen our understanding of this behavior, subjectivity plays an important role in the identification and tracking of such features. In this paper, we continue studies Gorobets, A. Y., Borrero, J. M., & Berdyugina, S. 2016, ApJL, 825, L18 of the temporal stochasticity of the magnetic field on the solar surface without relying either on the concept of magnetic features or on subjective assumptions about their identification and interaction. We propose a data analysis method to quantify fluctuations of the line-of-sight magnetic field by means of reducing the temporal field's evolution to the regular Markov process. We build a representative model of fluctuations converging to the unique stationary (equilibrium) distribution in the long time limit with maximum entropy. We obtained different rates of convergence to the equilibrium at fixed noise cutoff for two sets of data. This indicates a strong influence of the data spatial resolution and mixing-polarity fluctuations on the relaxation process. The analysis is applied to observations of magnetic fields of the relatively quiet areas around an active region carried out during the second flight of the Sunrise/IMaX and quiet Sun areas at the disk center from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (accepted

Barley-ß-glucans reduce systemic inflammation, renal injury and aortic calcification through ADAM17 and neutral-sphingomyelinase2 inhibition

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperphosphatemia-induced inflammation aggravates vascular calcification (VC) by increasing vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteogenic differentiation, ADAM17-induced renal and vascular injury, and TNFα-induction of neutral-sphingomyelinase2 (nSMase2) to release pro-calcifying exosomes. This study examined anti-inflammatory β-glucans efficacy at attenuating systemic inflammation in health, and renal and vascular injury favoring VC in hyperphosphatemic CKD. In healthy adults, dietary barley β-glucans (Bβglucans) reduced leukocyte superoxide production, inflammatory ADAM17, TNFα, nSMase2, and pro-aging/pro-inflammatory STING (Stimulator of interferon genes) gene expression without decreasing circulating inflammatory cytokines, except for γ-interferon. In hyperphosphatemic rat CKD, dietary Bβglucans reduced renal and aortic ADAM17-driven inflammation attenuating CKD-progression (higher GFR and lower serum creatinine, proteinuria, kidney inflammatory infiltration and nSMase2), and TNFα-driven increases in aortic nSMase2 and calcium deposition without improving mineral homeostasis. In VSMC, Bβglucans prevented LPS- or uremic serum-induced rapid increases in ADAM17, TNFα and nSMase2, and reduced the 13-fold higher calcium deposition induced by prolonged calcifying conditions by inhibiting osteogenic differentiation and increases in nSMase2 through Dectin1-independent actions involving Bβglucans internalization. Thus, dietary Bβglucans inhibit leukocyte superoxide production and leukocyte, renal and aortic ADAM17- and nSMase2 gene expression attenuating systemic inflammation in health, and renal injury and aortic calcification despite hyperphosphatemia in CKD.A grant to A.S.D. and M.J.M. from IRBLleida and Agrotecnio Research collaborative projects from the Consell Social at Lleida University supported initial work, Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF/FEDER) (FIS PI11/00259, PI14/01452, PI17/02181), Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación 2013–2017 y 2018–2022 del Principado de Asturias (GRUPIN14-028, IDI-2018-000152), RedInRen from ISCIII (ISCIII-RETIC REDINREN RD16/0009). Investigator support included: NC-L by GRUPIN14-028 and IDI-2018-000152, LM-A by GRUPIN14-028, SP by FICYT; MVA and PV by Educational Grant 2 A/2015 from ERA-EDTA CKD-MBD Working Group; PV and AC by ERA-EDTA fellowships 2011 and 2012; JR-C by MINECO (“Juan de la Cierva” program, FJCI-2015-23849); A.S.D. by Asociación Investigación de Fisiología Aplicada. A.S.D. and M.J.M. are members of the Campus Iberus (Ebro Valley Campus of International Excellence)

Moving Magnetic Features around a Pore

Spectropolarimetric observations from Sunrise II/IMaX obtained in June 2013 are used for a statistical analysis to determine the physical properties of moving magnetic features (MMFs) observed near a pore. MMFs of the same and opposite polarity with respect to the pore are found to stream from its border at an average speed of 1.3 km s$^{-1}$ and 1.2 km s$^{-1}$ respectively, with mainly same-polarity MMFs found further away from the pore. MMFs of both polarities are found to harbor rather weak, inclined magnetic fields. Opposite-polarity MMFs are blue-shifted, while same-polarity MMFs do not show any preference for up- or downflows. Most of the MMFs are found to be of sub-arcsecond size and carry a mean flux of $\sim$ 1.2$\times 10^{17}$ Mx.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Unidad Técnica de Geodesia, Geofísica y Magnetismo de Rocas: Laboratorio de Paleomagnetismo, Magnetismo de Rocas y Modelado Geomagnético

Trabajo presentado en la I Reunión Científica del Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC-UCM), los días 15 y 16 de septiembre de 2011.Peer reviewe