Idoneidad del uso del MALDI-TOF MS para la identificación de Staphylococcus aureus y miembros del grupo de Staphylococcus intermedius (S.I.G.)

A pesar de que el género Staphylococcus es comúnmente aislado en humanos y animales, su identificación sigue siendo problemática. Este estudio evalúa la idoneidad del MALDI-TOF MS (Biotyper 3) para su identificación, comparando los resultados obtenidos mediante diferentes métodos: fenotípicos, MALDITOF MS (añadiendo o no ácido fórmico) y moleculares. Una colección de 37 cepas fue identificada por técnicas convencionales como S. aureus (n= 7), S. intermedius (n=1) y S. pseudintermedius (n=29). Los aislamientos provenían de perros, tanto sanos como enfermos (n=27), y humanos (n=10), a partir de diferentes muestras biológicas. Todas ellas fueron también identificadas por biología molecular y los cultivos puros fueron procesados en el MALDI-TOF MS. La información fue analizada con DAG_Stat. La sensibilidad, especificidad, eficiencia y el índice kappa se estimaron para cada especie bacteriana con un nivel de confianza del 95%, tomando la biología molecular como gold standard. Se detectaron Estafilococos de 27 perros y de sus dueños. Solamente una cepa de S. intermedius fue aislada, así que los parámetros relacionados con ella tienen que ser considerados con cautela. Todos los S. aureus fueron identificados correctamente. Usando MALDI-TOF MS con ácido fórmico, hubo una concordancia casi perfecta entre pruebas en la identificación de S. aureus y S. pseudintermedius. Cuando no se añadía ácido fórmico, la concordancia fue perfecta para S. aureus, mientras que para S. pseudintermedius fue buena. Este trabajo demuestra la validez, la utilidad y la fiabilidad del MALDI-TOF MS para la identificación de aislamientos bacterianos pertenecientes a Staphylococcus spp

The debris disk host star HD 61005: a member of the Argus Association?

HD 61005 is a nearby young solar type star that shows a large infrared excess due to a debris disk. The disk has been recently imaged from ground and space, with indications of several components. Some characteristics of the disk suggest the presence of planetary companions around the star, that remain undetected in deep adaptive optics imaging. For a better understanding of the system we aim to refine the determination of the stellar parameters, with emphasis on the stellar age and system orientation. We used ASAS and Hipparcos photometry and FEROS spectra to determine the rotation period, radial and rotational velocity, chromospheric emission, effective temperature, and chemical composition. We find no indication of any misalignment between the star rotation axis and the disk. The standard age calibrations applied to several indicators yield an age close to that of the Pleiades (120 Myr); however the kinematic properties strongly support its membership in the younger (40 Myr) Argus association, which also includes the IC 2391 open cluster. Detailed comparison of the properties of HD 61005 and IC 2391 members shows that the characteristics of HD 61005 are compatible with membership to the Argus association, once its rather slow rotation is taken into account, because lithium and other age indicators are somewhat correlated with stellar rotation at a fixed age. We also identify systematic differences between the field and cluster population of the Argus association, which are probably selection effects, so we suggest that additional members with slower rotation and lower activity level are waiting to be identified.Comment: A&A, in press, 13 pages, 11 figure

Modulation of SHBG binding to testosterone and estradiol by sex and morbid obesity.

Objective: Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) binds and transports testosterone and estradiol in plasma. The possibility that SHBG is a mixture of transporting proteins has been postulated. We analyzed in parallel the effects of obesity status on the levels and binding capacity of circulating SHBG and their relationship with testosterone and estradiol.Design: Anthropometric measures and plasma were obtained from apparently healthy young (i.e. 35 +/- 7 years) premenopausal women (n = 32) and men (n = 30), with normal weight and obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)).Methods: SHBG protein (Western blot), as well as the plasma levels of testosterone, estradiol, cortisol and insulin (ELISA) were measured. Specific binding of estradiol and testosterone to plasma SHBG was analyzed using tritiumlabeled hormones.Results: Significant differences in SHBG were observed within the obesity status and gender, with discordant patterns of change in testosterone and estradiol. In men, testosterone occupied most of the binding sites. Estrogen binding was much lower in all subjects. Lower SHBG of morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m(2)) subjects affected testosterone but not estradiol. The ratio of binding sites to SHBG protein levels was constant for testosterone, but not for estradiol. The influence of gender was maximal in morbid obesity, with men showing the highest binding/SHBG ratios.Conclusions: The results reported here are compatible with SHBG being a mixture of at least two functionally different hormone-binding globulins, being affected by obesity and gender and showing different structure, affinities for testosterone and estradiol and also different immunoreactivity

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Evolution of the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in Spain between March and November 2020: SEMI-COVID national registry

Objectives: Since the results of the RECOVERY trial, WHO recommendations about the use of corticosteroids (CTs) in COVID-19 have changed. The aim of the study is to analyse the evolutive use of CTs in Spain during the pandemic to assess the potential influence of new recommendations. Material and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study was conducted on adults hospitalised due to COVID-19 in Spain who were included in the SEMI-COVID- 19 Registry from March to November 2020. Results: CTs were used in 6053 (36.21%) of the included patients. The patients were older (mean (SD)) (69.6 (14.6) vs. 66.0 (16.8) years; p < 0.001), with hypertension (57.0% vs. 47.7%; p < 0.001), obesity (26.4% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.0001), and multimorbidity prevalence (20.6% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001). These patients had higher values (mean (95% CI)) of C-reactive protein (CRP) (86 (32.7-160) vs. 49.3 (16-109) mg/dL; p < 0.001), ferritin (791 (393-1534) vs. 470 (236- 996) µg/dL; p < 0.001), D dimer (750 (430-1400) vs. 617 (345-1180) µg/dL; p < 0.001), and lower Sp02/Fi02 (266 (91.1) vs. 301 (101); p < 0.001). Since June 2020, there was an increment in the use of CTs (March vs. September; p < 0.001). Overall, 20% did not receive steroids, and 40% received less than 200 mg accumulated prednisone equivalent dose (APED). Severe patients are treated with higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%. Conclusions: Patients with greater comorbidity, severity, and inflammatory markers were those treated with CTs. In severe patients, there is a trend towards the use of higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 47 Número 1-2

Prólogo. Por la Comisión Coordinadora.-- Presentación. Por C. Roquero.-- Introducción. Por M. Delgado.-- Introduction. Translated by J. K. Caunt & D. A. Jenkins.-- Relaciones suelo-vegetación en medios halomorfos de Lérida. Soil/vegetation relationship in saline marshlands, (Lerida). Por J. Bech, J. R. Torrento y J. Garrido.-- Aportaciones bioqufmicas a la caract erización del Humus Tangel de Kubiena sobre rocas de silicatos. Biochemical contribution to the characterization of the Kubiena Tangel Humus over silicate rocks. Por F. Velasco de Pedro.-- Estudio morfológico de un perfil de Rendsina de Tangel del Pinsapar de Grazalema (Cádiz ). Morphological study of Tangel - Rendzina profile of Spanish - fir forest area (A bies pin- sapo) in Grazalema, Province of Cadiz. Por L. E. Corral, C. Espino, J. Mérida y G. Paneque.-- Histosoles de las sierras planas de Asturias. Histosoles from the sierras planas, Asturias. Por F. Guerrero y A. Polo.-- Aporte de la fracción arena gruesa al conocimiento de la génesis del suelo. Contribution of the coarse sand fraction to soil genesis. Por C. Dorronsoro.-- lndices de alteración mineral en las fracciones arena gruesa de suelos. Mineral weathering indices of coarse sand fractions of soils. Por C. Dorronsoro, J. del Arco Ortiz de Zarate y P. Alonso Rojo.-- Xerochrepts de las Sierras de Orce y María (Granada y Almer!a). Xerochrepts from the Orce and Maria Sierras, (Granada and Almeria). Por L. J. Alías y J. Martínez Sánchez.-- Génesis y morfología de las acumulaciones calizas. Genesis and morphology of calcretes. Por V. Gómez-Miguel.-- Micromorfología de Jos horizontes cálcicos y petrocálcicos. Micromorphology of calcic and petrocalcic horizons. Por C. Baños y M. Ayerbe.-- Micromorfología de suelos con yeso. Micromorphology of gypsiferous soils. Por J. Porta y J. Herrero.-- Estudio de Jos gypsiorthids de Navarra. Study of gypsiorthids in Navarra. Por F. J. Arricibita Videgain, J. Iñiguez Herrero y R. Mª. Val Legaz.-- Micromorfología de algunos suelos con acumulaciones de yeso en la región central española (Toledo, Ciudad Real). Micromorphology of soils with gypsum enrichment in the central region of Spain (Toledo, Ciudad Reai).PorJ. Benayas, A. Guerra, J. Batllé y J. Gumuzzio. La hidromorfía y sus rasgos micromorfológicos. Hydromorphy and its micromorphological features. Por C. Dorronsoro, P. Alonso Rojo y T . Rodríguez Rebollo. Micromorfología de Cambisoles crómicos y vérticos. Micromorphology of chromic and vertic Cambisols. Por J. Aguilar y E. Ortega.-- Micromorfología de Cambisoles Eútricos y Dístricos. Micromorphology of Eutric and Dystric Cambisols.PorJ. Aguilar, E. Ortega y G. Delgado.-- El proceso de iluviación de arcilla. Clay iJluviation process. Por C. Dorronsoro y J. Aguilar.-- Micromorfología de una cronosecuencia de suelos en la región de Calvarrasa (Salamanca). Micromorphology of a soil chronosequence in the area of Calvarrasa (Salamanca). Por C. Dorronsoro, J. del Arco Ortiz de Zárate y P. Alonso Rojo.-- Variabilidad de Jos diferentes tipos de suelos rojos en España. Variability of the different types of red soils in Spain. Por L. Alcalá del Olmo B. y F. Monturiol Rodríguez.-- Evaluación de la distribución de manganeso en algunos suelos mediterráneos. Evaluation of manganese distribution in mediterranean soils. Por R. Jiménez Ballesta, A. Guerra, J. Gallardo y J. J. Ibáñez.-- Micromorfologfa de Jos suelos ferralíticos en las Islas Canarias. Micromorphology of ferrallitic soils in the Canary Islands. Por A. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, C. C. Jiménez Mendoza y M. L. Tejedor Salguero.-- Micromorfología y génesis de Podsoles y suelos podsolicos. Micromorphology and genesis of Podsols and podsolic soils. Por F. Macías Vázquez, C. García Paz, B. M. Silva Hermo, E. García-Rodeja Gayoso y M. T . Taboada Rodríguez.-- Micromorfometría de suelos. Principios y técnicas. Soil micromorphometry. Principies and tecniques.Por C. Dorronsoro.-- Micromorfometría de suelos. Aplicaciones. Soil micromorphometry. Applications. Por C. Dorronsoro.-- Micromorfometría de paleosuelos afectados por presión y temperatura de coladas basálticas "Almagres" en las Islas Canarias. Micromorphometry of paleosols affected by pressure and temperature of basaltic flows ("Almagres") in the Canary Islands. Por H. Carbajal, J. Benayas y Mª J. HerreraPeer reviewe