Molecular Identification and Quantification of Tetracycline and Erythromycin Resistance Genes in Spanish and Italian Retail Cheeses

Large antibiotic resistance gene pools in the microbiota of foods may ultimately pose a risk for human health. This study reports the identification and quantification of tetracycline- and erythromycin-resistant populations, resistance genes, and gene diversity in traditional Spanish and Italian cheeses, via culturing, conventional PCR, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The numbers of resistant bacteria varied widely among the antibiotics and the different cheese varieties; in some cheeses, all the bacterial populations seemed to be resistant. Up to eight antibiotic resistance genes were sought by gene-specific PCR, six with respect to tetracycline, that is, tet(K), tet(L), tet(M), tet(O), tet(S), and tet(W), and two with respect to erythromycin, that is, erm(B) and erm(F). The most common resistance genes in the analysed cheeses were tet(S), tet(W), tet(M), and erm(B). The copy numbers of these genes, as quantified by qPCR, ranged widely between cheeses (from 4.94 to 10.18 log10/g). DGGE analysis revealed distinct banding profiles and two polymorphic nucleotide positions for tet(W)-carrying cheeses, though the similarity of the sequences suggests this tet(W) to have a monophyletic origin. Traditional cheeses would therefore appear to act as reservoirs for large numbers of many types of antibiotic resistance determinants.The study was partially supported by a Spain-Italy bilateral collaboration program (Ref. IT2009-0080 and IT105MD12L). Financial support was further provided by projects from CICYT (Ref. AGL2011-24300-ALI) and INIA (Ref. RM2011-00005-00-00). A. B. Flórez and S. Delgado were supported by research contracts under Juan de la Cierva Program (Ref. JCI-2010-07457 and JCI-2008-02391, resp.). A. Alegría was awarded a scholarship of the Severo Ochoa program from FICYT (Ref. BP08-053).Peer Reviewe

Extrafloral nectaries in Leguminosae: phylogenetic distribution, morphological diversity and evolution

Extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) mediating ecologically important ant-plant protection mutualisms are especially common and unusually diverse in the Leguminosae. We present the first comprehensively curated list of legume genera with EFNs, detailing and illustrating their systematic and phylogenetic distributions, locations on the plant, morphology and anatomy, based on a unified classification of EFN categories and a time-calibrated phylogeny incorporating 710 of the 768 genera. This new synthesis, the first since McKey (1989)?s seminal paper, increases the number of genera with EFNs to 152 (20% of legumes), distributed across subfamilies Cercidoideae (1), Detarioideae (19), Caesalpinioideae (87) and Papilionoideae (45). EFNs occur at nine locations, and are most prevalent on vegetative plant parts, especially leaves (74%) and inflorescence axes (26%). Four main categories (with eight subcategories) are recognized: formless, trichomatic (exposed, hollow), parenchymatic (embedded, pit, flat, elevated) and abscission zone EFNs (non-differentiated, swollen scars). Phylogenetic reconstruction of EFNs suggests independent evolutionary trajectories of different EFN types, with elevated EFNs restricted almost exclusively to Caesalpinioideae (where they underwent spectacular morphological disparification), flat EFNs in Detarioideae, swollen scar EFNs in Papilionoideae, and Cercidoideae is the only subfamily bearing intrastipular EFNs. We discuss the complex evolutionary history of EFNs and highlight future research directions.Fil: Marazzi, Brigitte. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; Argentina. Natural History Museum Of Canton Ticino; SuizaFil: González, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Delgado Salinas, Alfonso. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Luckow, Melissa A.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Ringelberg, Jens J.. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Hughes, Colin E.. Universitat Zurich; Suiz

The changing practice and teaching in psychiatric nursing

RESUMO No atual contexto de transformações no campo da assistência à saúde mental no Brasil, a Universidade tem a responsabilidade de redirecionar a qualificação profissional da força de trabalho em saúde. Este artigo versa sobre a experiência de um Programa de Integração Docente-Assistencial envolvendo a Secretaria de Estado de Saúde e a Universidade de São Paulo. Particulariza a experiência de estudantes de enfermagem cursando a disciplina de enfermagem psiquiátrica. A análise da avaliação dos alunos do programa teórico-prático desenvolvido na unidade, ancorado nos pressupostos da Reabilitação Psicossocial indica, ao mesmo tempo, que o modelo de atenção interfere diretamente na qualificação das práticas e, simultaneamente, desenvolve nos alunos atitudes e conhecimentos que os qualificam para desempenhar de forma coerente suas funções.ABSTRACT In the context of recent changes that are taking place in the field of mental health care in Brazil, the University has the responsibility to redimensioning human, resources qualification of mental health workers: At the Mental Health Care and Educational Program of the University of São Paulo and São Paulo Health Office (São Paulo/Brazil), an experience still in course, the nursing students attending to psychiatric nurse training evaluated that theoretical practical education, dealing with health care issues in the field of Psychosocial Rehabilitation purpose, at the same time that directly interferes in the qualification of practices, simultaneously develops the students attitudes and knowledge that qualify them to perform coherent practices in accordance with rehabilitation models of care

Whole genome analysis as a tool for the safety assessment of antibiotic resistance in food-processing bacteria

Trabajo presentado en la 2nd EFSA Scientific Conference, celebrado en Milán, Italia, del 14 al 16 de octubre de 2015Acquisition of antibiotic resistances (AR) by pathogens leads ultimately to a failure of antibiotic therapy. The food chain is considered a key player in the transmission of AR determinants to pathogens from reservoirs in commensal and beneficial bacteria. Therefore, the absence of transmissible AR genes in bacteria used as starter and adjunct cultures for food and feed processing is considered to be critical (EFSA, 2012; EFSA Journal, 10:2740). Genome sequencing allows the inspection of the whole genetic makeup of bacteria in the search for the basis of desirable and undesirable traits, including that of AR. Thus, in silico sequence analysis and comparison against databases can be used as a tool for the safety assessment of microorganisms intended to be used in food systems. This communication reports on the genome analysis of three Leuconostoc mesenteroides strains of dairy origin showing atypical resistances to tetracycline (LbT16), erythromycin and clindamycin (LbE15), and kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and virginiamycin (LbE16). Genes encoding for erythromycin [erm(B)] and tetracycline [tet(S)] resistance had already been detected by PCR. Genome analysis confirmed the presence of these genes and identified others which encode uncommon AR in lactic acid bacteria. Analysis of the genes and their flanking regions revealed a potential of some to be horizontally transferred to other bacteria. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis as an affordable tool for the safety assessment of food bacteria. This innovative approach could become a novel paradigm in the selection programs of starters for the food industry.Peer Reviewe

El reconocimiento de los aprendizajes adquiridos por la experiencia previa: un nuevo reto para el sistema universitario

El propósito del Reconocimiento de los Aprendizajes derivados de la Experiencia Previa (RAEP) es hacer visible el abanico de competencias que posee una persona, independientemente del contexto donde la adquisición de éstas tuvo lugar. En este artículo se analiza el papel del reconocimiento del aprendizaje experiencial dentro de una visión amplia de la educación y se presentan sus elementos clave. Se comenta el rol del RAEP en la educación superior, señalando asimismo las oportunidades y desafíos que este tipo de procesos impone a los protagonistas de la enseñanza universitaria

Real-time motion detection by lateral inhibition in accumulative computation.

Many researchers have explored the relationship between recurrent neural networks and finite state machines. Finite state machines constitute the best characterized computational model, whereas artificial neural networks have become a very successful tool for modeling and problem solving. In the few last years, the neurally inspired lateral inhibition in accumulative computation (LIAC) method and its application to the motion detection task have been introduced. The article shows how to implement the tasks directly related to LIAC in motion detection by means of a formal model described as finite state machines. This paper introduces two steps towards that direction: (a) A simplification of the general LIAC method is performed by formally transforming it into a finite state machine. (b) A hardware implementation of such a designed LIAC module, as well as an 8×8 LIAC module, has been tested on several video sequences, providing promising performance results

Simulador de negocios Capstone: Estrategia competitiva de Ferris para obtención del primer lugar

El presente trabajo muestra un análisis de las decisiones tomadas en el simulador de negocios CAPSTONE durante un periodo de ocho años por el equipo directivo que representó a la empresa Ferris.ITESO, A.C