Actividad antibacteriana de quince antibióticos frente a enterobacterias aisladas en otitis externas caninas crónicas

Hemos estudiado la sensibilidad a quince antimicrobianos de las enterobacterias aisladas en otitis externas caninas crónicas. Se analizaron 20 cepas: 10 Proteus mirabilis, 9 Eseheriehia coli y 1 Klebsiella oxytoca. Se observaron diferencias en sensibilidad en función del género. Todas las cepas de enterobacterias fueron sensibles a ceftazidima, cefoxitina, gentamicina y netilmicina. Todas las cepas de Proteus mirabilis fueron sensibles además a amikacina, cefotaxima, piperacilina, ticarcilina, ciprofloxacina, enrofloxacina y marbofloxacina. En el caso de E. coli, todas las cepas fueron sensibles a tobramicina, además de a los 4 antibióticos descritos para el totaí de entero bacterias. La cepa de Klebsiella oxytoea fue sensible a 13 de los antibióticos estudiados, presentando una sensibilidad intermedia a piperacilina y siendo resistente a ticarcilina. Se realizaron encuestas alos veterinarios clínicos sobre los tratamientos que utilizaban para comparar nuestros resultados con la práctica clínica. Nuestros resultados apoyan la importancia de los ensayos de sensibilidad a antimicrobianos en las infeccionesen animales y sugieren que la gentamicina podría ser, en nuestra área, el antibiótico de elección para otitisexternas caninas crónicas causadas por enterobacterias

Superoxide dismutase and catalase in marine bioluminescent bacteria

Han sido estudiadas la catalasa y la superóxido dismutasa (SOD) de bacterias bioluminiscentes marinas. Hemos encontrado varios isoenzimas de catalasa y un isoenzima de superóxido dismutasa y se ha observado que a menor luminiscencia los niveles de catalasa son mayores. Una variante de Photobacterium phosphoreum var. K (cepa mutante que carece de bioluminiscencia) mostró los máximos niveles de catalasa. Hay dos tipos de catalasas en esta estirpe, una de pI 7,2 que es inhibida por el 3-amino, 1,2,4-triazol y otros isoenzimas que son resistentes a la acción de este inhibidor. Todas las catalasas de estas bacterias bioluminiscentes marinas son hemoproteínas, ya que son inhibidas por la azida y el cianuro. El isoenzima de SOD es una Fe-SOD.Catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were studied in strains of marine bioluminescent bacteria. We found several isozymes of catalase in these strains and only one isozyme of superoxide dismutase. We observed that catalase levels rose as bioluminiscence emission fell. A dark strain of Photobacterium phosphoreumvar. K showed the maximun levels of catalase. There are two types of catalases in this strain: an isozyme of pI 7.2 inhibited by 3-amino, 1, 2, 4-triazole and others isozyrnes resistent to this inhibitor. All isozymes of catalase from these bioluminescent marine bacteria are hemo-proteins, since they were inhibited by cianyde and azide. The single isozyme of SOD is a Fe-SOD.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Bioluminescent marine bacteria on the Gran Canaria coast

Han sido aisladas bacterias bioluminiscentes en aguas superficiales costeras de la isla de Gran Canaria y en la superficie y el contenido intestinal de Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758), pez muy común en las islas Canarias. Las especies aisladas fueron Vibrio splendidus biovar 1, Vibrio logei, Vibrio fischeri y Photobacterium phosphoreum. La población de bacterias bioluminiscentes en estas aguas superficiales fluctúa considerablemente, desde 50 000 unidades formadoras de colonias por litro (ufc/l) en los meses de verano a 3 000 ufc/l en invierno. Hemos encontrado una correlación positiva entre la temperatura del agua y el número de bacterias bioluminiscentes.Bioluminescent bacteria were isolated on coastal surface waters, and on the surface and in the gastrointestinal tract of Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) (a very common fish in the Canary Islands) off Gran Canaria Island. The species isolated were: Vibrio splendidus biovar 1; Vibrio logei; Vibrio fischeri and Photobacterium phosphoreum. The population of biolumineseent bacteria in these coastal surfaee waters fluctuated considerably, being as high as 50 000 cfu/l in the summer and as low as 3 000 cfu/l in the winter. There is a positive correlation between water temperature and the number of bioluminescent bacteria.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Análisis de la investigación científica de los Congresos Internacionales de Ingeniería de Proyectos de AEIPRO.

El artículo presenta la actividad científica desarrollada en los congresos internacionales de ingeniería de proyectos organizados por AEIPRO. Analizando y visualizando la información a través del análisis de dominios científicos y del análisis de redes de la literatura científica desarrollada desde el II Congreso Internacional del 1998 hasta el XVI Congreso Internacional del 2012. Los resultados permiten identificar los frentes de investigación y la base de conocimientos científica en Ingeniería de Proyectos desarrollada en los congresos internacionales de AEIPRO, proporcionando resultados estadísticos sobre la distribución del aporte internacional, el grado de integración de la investigación y la colaboración científica entre universidades, instituciones científicas y profesionales. Finalmente, se realiza una comparación entre la distribución de la investigación según la temática actual de los congresos y las áreas de conocimientos que gestionan el ciclo de vida del proyecto, alcance, tiempo, costes, calidad, recursos humanos, comunicación, riesgos y adquisiciones

The economic value of drought information for water management under climate change: a case study in the Ebro basin

Drought events in the Mediterranean are likely to increase in frequency, duration and intensity due to climate change, thereby affecting crop production. Information about drought is valuable for river basin authorities and the farmers affected by their decisions. The economic value of this information and the resulting decisions are of interest to these two stakeholder groups and to the information providers. Understanding the dynamics of extreme events, including droughts, in future climate scenarios for the Mediterranean is being improved continuously. This paper analyses the economic value of information on drought events taking into account the risk aversion of water managers. We consider the effects of drought management plans on rice production in the Ebro river basin. This enables us to compute the willingness to compensate the river basin authority for more accurate information allowing for better decision-making. If runoff is reduced, river basin planners can consider the reduction of water allocation for irrigation in order to eliminate the risk of water scarcity. Alternately, river basin planners may decide to maintain water allocation and accept a reduction of water supply reliability, leaving farmers exposed to drought events. These two alternatives offer different risk levels for crop production and farmers' incomes which determine the value of this information to the river basin authority. The information is relevant for the revision of River Basin Management Plans of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) within the context of climate change

Towards a real-time susceptibility assessment of rainfall-induced shallow landslides on a regional scale

Abstract. In the framework of landslide risk management, it appears relevant to assess, both in space and in time, the triggering of rainfall-induced shallow landslides, in order to prevent damages due to these kind of disasters. In this context, the use of real-time landslide early warning systems has been attracting more and more attention from the scientific community. This paper deals with the application, on a regional scale, of two physically-based stability models: SLIP (Shallow Landslides Instability Prediction) and TRIGRS (Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Regional Slope-stability analysis). A back analysis of some recent case-histories of soil slips which occurred in the territory of the central Emilian Apennine, Emilia Romagna Region (Northern Italy) is carried out and the main results are shown. The study area is described from geological and climatic viewpoints. The acquisition of geospatial information regarding the topography, the soil properties and the local landslide inventory is also explained. The paper outlines the main features of the SLIP model and the basic assumptions of TRIGRS. Particular attention is devoted to the discussion of the input data, which have been stored and managed through a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform. Results of the SLIP model on a regional scale, over a one year time interval, are finally presented. The results predicted by the SLIP model are analysed both in terms of safety factor (Fs) maps, corresponding to particular rainfall events, and in terms of time-varying percentage of unstable areas over the considered time interval. The paper compares observed landslide localizations with those predicted by the SLIP model. A further quantitative comparison between SLIP and TRIGRS, both applied to the most important event occurred during the analysed period, is presented. The limits of the SLIP model, mainly due to some restrictions of simplifying the physically based relationships, are analysed in detail. Although an improvement, in terms of spatial accuracy, is needed, thanks to the fast calculation and the satisfactory temporal prediction of landslides, the SLIP model applied on the study area shows certain potential as a landslides forecasting tool on a regional scale

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities and production of β-lactamases in marine Vibrio and Photobacterium

Four marine strains of Vibrio and Photobacterium were tested for their susceptibilities to 22 antimicrobial agents. All strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, netilmicin and norfloxacin; all were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, and exhibited ß-lactamase activity. However, there were significant differences between strains, especially in their patterns of betalactam and aminoglycosides susceptibility. Vibrio splendidus biovar 1 and Vibrio harveyi have ß-lactamases of the 2d group (cloxacillin-hydrolyzing ß-lactamases), Photobacterium angustum has ß-lactamases of the 2b group (broad-spectrum ß-lactamases inhibited by clavulanic acid), and Photobacterium phosphoreum var. K has ß-lactamases of the 2c group (carbenicillin-hydrolyzing ß-lactamases inhibited by clavulanic acid).Ha sido estudiada la actividad in vitro de 22 antimicrobianos frente a cuatro cepas de Vibrio y Photobacterium de origen marino. Todas las cepas son susceptibles a cloranfenicol, ácido nalidíxico, cotrimoxazol, tetraciclina, netilmicina y norfloxacina; resistentes a penicilina y ampicilina, y producen ß-lactamasas. Sin embargo, hay diferencias significativas entre las cepas, especialmente en sus patrones de sensibilidad a otros antibióticos betalactámicos y aminoglicósidos. Vibrio splendidus biovar 1 y Vibrio harveyi poseen ß-lactamasas pertenecientes al grupo 2d (ß-lactamasas que hidrolizan la cloxacilina); Photobacterium angustum, ß-lactamasas del grupo 2b (ß-lactamasas de amplio espectro inhibidas por el ácido clavulánico); y Photobacterium phosphoreum var. K, ß-lactamasas del grupo 2c (ß-lactamasas que hidrolizan la carbenicilina y son inhibidas por el ácido clavulánico).Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Inhibition of the CXCL12/CXCR4-axis as preventive therapy for radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Background: A devastating late injury caused by radiation is pulmonary fibrosis. This risk may limit the volume of irradiation and compromise potentially curative therapy. Therefore, development of a therapy to prevent this toxicity can be of great benefit for this patient population. Activation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 by its ligand stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) may be important in the development of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we tested whether MSX-122, a novel small molecule and partial CXCR4 antagonist, can block development of this fibrotic process. Methodology/Principal Findings: The radiation-induced lung fibrosis model used was C57BL/6 mice irradiated to the entire thorax or right hemithorax to 20 Gy. Our parabiotic model involved joining a transgenic C57BL/6 mouse expressing GFP with a wild-type mouse that was subsequently irradiated to assess for migration of GFP+ bone marrow-derived progenitor cells to the irradiated lung. CXCL12 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum after irradiation were determined by ELISA. CXCR4 and CXCL12 mRNA in the irradiated lung was determined by RNase protection assay. Irradiated mice were treated daily with AMD3100, an established CXCR4 antagonist; MSX-122; and their corresponding vehicles to determine impact of drug treatment on fibrosis development. Fibrosis was assessed by serial CTs and histology. After irradiation, CXCL12 levels increased in BALF and serum with a corresponding rise in CXCR4 mRNA within irradiated lungs consistent with recruitment of a CXCR4+ cell population. Using our parabiotic model, we demonstrated recruitment of CXCR4+ bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, identified based on marker expression, to irradiated lungs. Finally, irradiated mice that received MSX-122 had significant reductions in development of pulmonary fibrosis while AMD3100 did not significantly suppress this fibrotic process. Conclusions/Significance: CXCR4 inhibition by drugs such as MSX-122 may alleviate potential radiation-induced lung injury, presenting future therapeutic opportunities for patients requiring chest irradiation. © 2013 Shu et al

Disparities and risks of sexually transmissible infections among men who have sex with men in China: a meta-analysis and data synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Hepatitis B and C virus, are emerging public health risks in China, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aims to assess the magnitude and risks of STIs among Chinese MSM. METHODS: Chinese and English peer-reviewed articles were searched in five electronic databases from January 2000 to February 2013. Pooled prevalence estimates for each STI infection were calculated using meta-analysis. Infection risks of STIs in MSM, HIV-positive MSM and male sex workers (MSW) were obtained. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. RESULTS: Eighty-eight articles (11 in English and 77 in Chinese) investigating 35,203 MSM in 28 provinces were included in this review. The prevalence levels of STIs among MSM were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.5-11.0%) for chlamydia, 1.5% (0.7-2.9%) for genital wart, 1.9% (1.3-2.7%) for gonorrhoea, 8.9% (7.8-10.2%) for hepatitis B (HBV), 1.2% (1.0-1.6%) for hepatitis C (HCV), 66.3% (57.4-74.1%) for human papillomavirus (HPV), 10.6% (6.2-17.6%) for herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and 4.3% (3.2-5.8%) for Ureaplasma urealyticum. HIV-positive MSM have consistently higher odds of all these infections than the broader MSM population. As a subgroup of MSM, MSW were 2.5 (1.4-4.7), 5.7 (2.7-12.3), and 2.2 (1.4-3.7) times more likely to be infected with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HCV than the broader MSM population, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prevalence levels of STIs among MSW were significantly higher than the broader MSM population. Co-infection of HIV and STIs were prevalent among Chinese MSM. Integration of HIV and STIs healthcare and surveillance systems is essential in providing effective HIV/STIs preventive measures and treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO NO: CRD42013003721

Echinacoside ameliorates hepatic fibrosis and tumor invasion in rats with thioacetamide-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affects approximately 800,000 individuals globally each year. Despite advancements in HCC treatments, there is still a pressing need to identify new drugs that can combat resistance. One potential option is echinacoside, a natural caffeic acid glycoside with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and antidiabetic properties. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the ability of echinacoside to exhibit antitumor activity against HCC in rats through ameliorating hepatic fibrosis and tumor invasion. Rats were given thioacetamide to induce HCC, and some were given 30 mg/kg of echinacoside twice a week for 16 weeks. The liver impairment was assessed by measuring serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) and examining liver sections stained with Masson trichrome or anti-transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 antibodies. The hepatic expression of mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1, β-catenin, SMAD4, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), connective tissue growth factor 2 (CCN2), E-Cadherin, platelets derived growth factor (PDGF)-B and fascin were also analyzed. Echinacoside improved the survival rate of rats by decreasing serum AFP and the number of hepatic nodules. Examination of micro-images indicated that echinacoside can reduce fibrosis. It also significantly decreased the expression of TGF-β1, β-catenin, SMAD4, MMP9, PI3K, mTOR, CCN2, PDGF-B, and fascin while enhancing the expression of E-Cadherin. In conclusion, echinacoside exhibits a protective effect against HCC by increasing survival rates and decreasing tumor growth. It also acts as an inhibitor of the hepatic tissue fibrosis pathway by reducing the expression of TGF-β1, β-catenin, SMAD4, PI3K, CCN2, PDGF-B and mTOR. Additionally, it prevents tumor invasion by suppressing MMP9 and fascin, and increasing the expression of E-Cadherin