Effect of cattle on Salmonella carriage, diversity and antimicrobial resistance in free-ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa) in northeastern Spain

Salmonella is distributed worldwide and is a pathogen of economic and public health importance. As a multi-host pathogen with a long environmental persistence, it is a suitable model for the study of wildlife-livestock interactions. In this work, we aim to explore the spill-over of Salmonella between free-ranging wild boar and livestock in a protected natural area in NE Spain and the presence of antimicrobial resistance. Salmonella prevalence, serotypes and diversity were compared between wild boars, sympatric cattle and wild boars from cattle-free areas. The effect of age, sex, cattle presence and cattle herd size on Salmonella probability of infection in wild boars was explored by means of Generalized Linear Models and a model selection based on the Akaike’s Information Criterion. Prevalence was higher in wild boars co-habiting with cattle (35.67%, CI 95% 28.19–43.70) than in wild boar from cattle-free areas (17.54%, CI 95% 8.74–29.91). Probability of a wild boar being a Salmonella carrier increased with cattle herd size but decreased with the host age. Serotypes Meleagridis, Anatum and Othmarschen were isolated concurrently from cattle and sympatric wild boars. Apart from serotypes shared with cattle, wild boars appear to have their own serotypes, which are also found in wild boars from cattle-free areas (Enteritidis, Mikawasima, 4:b:- and 35:r:z35). Serotype richness (diversity) was higher in wild boars co-habiting with cattle, but evenness was not altered by the introduction of serotypes from cattle. The finding of a S. Mbandaka strain resistant to sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and chloramphenicol and a S. Enteritidis strain resistant to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid in wild boars is cause for public health concern.

Assessment of insecticide resistance in eggs and neonate larvae of Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Spanish Cydia pomonella (L.) field populations have developed resistance to several insecticide groups. Diagnostic concentrations were established as the LC90 calculated on a susceptible strain (S_Spain) for five and seven insecticides and tested on eggs and neonate larvae field populations, respectively. The three most relevant enzymatic detoxification systems (mixed-function oxidases (MFO), glutathione S-tranferases (GST) and esterases (EST)) were studied for neonate larvae. In eggs, 96% of the field populations showed a significantly lower efficacy when compared with the susceptible strain (S_Spain) and the most effective insecticides were fenoxycarb and thiacloprid. In neonate larvae, a significant loss of susceptibility to the insecticides was detected. Flufenoxuron, azinphos-methyl and phosmet showed the lowest efficacy, while lambda-cyhalothrin, alpha-cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos-ethyl showed the highest. Biochemical assays showed that the most important enzymatic system involved in insecticide detoxification was MFO, with highest enzymatic activity ratios (5.1–16.6 for neonates from nine field populations). An enhanced GST and EST activities was detected in one field population, with enzymatic activity ratios of threefold and fivefold for GST and EST, respectively, when compared with the susceptible strain. The insecticide bioassays showed that the LC90 used were effective as diagnostic concentrations. Measures of MFO activity alongside bioassays with insecticide diagnostic concentrations could be used as tools for monitoring insecticide resistance in neonate larvae of C. pomonella.

First evidence for the two-body charmless baryonic decay

The results of a search for the rare two-body charmless baryonic decays TeX and TeX are reported. The analysis uses a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.9 fb−1, of pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. An excess of TeX candidates with respect to background expectations is seen with a statistical significance of 3.3 standard deviations. This is the first evidence for a two-body charmless baryonic B 0 decay. No significant TeX signal is observed, leading to an improvement of three orders of magnitude over previous bounds. If the excess events are interpreted as signal, the 68.3% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions are $ TeX $ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

Resistance Switching in Transparent Magnetic MgO Films

We have studied the abrupt and hysteretic changes of resistance in MgO-based capacitor devices. The switching behavior is discussed in terms of the formation and rupture of conduction filaments due to the migration of structural defects in the electric field, together with the redox events which affects the mobile carriers. The results presented in this paper suggest that MgO transparent films combining ferromagnetism and multilevel switching characteristics might pave the way for a new method for spintronic multibit data storage.

Potential impact of environmental bacteriophages in spreading antibiotic resistance genes

The idea that bacteriophage transduction plays a role in the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes is gaining momentum. Such transduction might be vital in horizontal transfer from environmental to human body-associated biomes and here we review many lines of evidence supporting this notion. It is well accepted that bacteriophages are the most abundant entities in most environments, where they have been shown to be quite persistent. This fact, together with the ability of many phages to infect bacteria belonging to different taxa, makes them suitable vehicles for gene transfer. Metagenomic studies confirm that substantial percentages of the bacteriophage particles present in most environments contain bacterial genes, including mobile genetic elements and antibiotic resistance genes. When specific genes of resistance to antibiotics are detected by real-time PCR in the bacteriophage populations of different environments, only tenfold lower numbers of these genes are observed, compared with those found in the corresponding bacterial populations. In addition, the antibiotic resistance genes from these bacteriophages are functional and generate resistance to the bacteria when these genes are transfected. Finally, reports about the transduction of antibiotic resistance genes are on the increase.

Clopidogrel Pharmacogenetics, resistance to antiplatelet therapy in ischemic stroke by Epigenome Wide Association Study (EWAS).

Clopidogrel is a widely used antiplatelet drug used in preventing vascular events after suffering a first stoke. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has not been able to establish a clear association between polymorphisms and recurrence. Therefore in the present final master project an epigenetic approach is proposed. Using an array based technology, 450.000 CpG sites across all genome were assessed in 48 individuals (21 cases and 21 controls). Looking at differentially methylated levels between cases and controls, 58 CpG sites (DMGs) were found. Although, no clear locus was observed. Looking individually to each 49 genes, two appeared to be important to our study. TRAF3 and ADAMTS2 are gens highly related to platelet aggregation. In orther to confirm these result, a new DNA methylation study will be done in a larger cohort, using Sequenom technology.

Transfer of penicillin resistance between Neisseriae in microcosm

Horizontal gene transfer between commensal and pathogenic Neisseriae is the mechanism proposed to explain how pathogenic species acquire altered portions of the penA gene, which encodes penicillin binding protein 2. These changes resulted in a moderately penicillin-resistant phenotype in the meningococci, whose frequency of isolation in Spain increased at the end of the 1980s. Little has been published about the possibility of this gene transfer in nature or about its simulation in the laboratory. We designed a simple microcosm, formed by solid and liquid media, that partially mimics the upper human respiratory tract. In this microcosm, penicillin-resistant commensal strains and the fully susceptible meningococcus were co-cultivated. The efficiency of gene transfer between the strains depended on the phase of bacterial growth and the conditions of culture. Resistance of penicillin was acquired in different steps irrespective of the source of the DNA. The presence of DNase in the medium had no effect on gene transfer, but it was near zero when nicked DNA was used. Cell-to-cell contact or membrane blebs could explain these results. The analysis of sequences of the transpeptidase domain of PBP2 from transformants, and from donor and recipient strains demonstrated that the emergence of moderately resistant transformants was due to genetic exchange between the co-cultivated strains. Finally, mechanisms other than penA modification could be invoked to explain decreased susceptibility

Snail blocks the cell cycle and confers resistance to cell death

The Snail zinc-finger transcription factors trigger epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), endowing epithelial cells with migratory and invasive properties during both embryonic development and tumor progression. During EMT, Snail provokes the loss of epithelial markers, as well as changes in cell shape and the expression of mesenchymal markers. Here, we show that in addition to inducing dramatic phenotypic alterations, Snail attenuates the cell cycle and confers resistance to cell death induced by the withdrawal of survival factors and by pro-apoptotic signals. Hence, Snail favors changes in cell shape versus cell division, indicating that with respect to oncogenesis, although a deregulation/increase in proliferation is crucial for tumor formation and growth, this may not be so for tumor malignization. Finally, the resistance to cell death conferred by Snail provides a selective advantage to embryonic cells to migrate and colonize distant territories, and to malignant cells to separate from the primary tumor, invade, and form metastasis.

Calidad de vida y cáncer de próstata: un programa progresivo de fuerza-resistencia = Quality of life and prostate cancer: a progressive resistance strength program

This article presents the design and implementation of a progressive resistance strength program adapted to prostate cancer. The initial model corresponds to the guide of the American College Sports Medicine Position Stand (ACSM, 2009). This program includes the most habitual symptoms related to the illness and its treatments. The study design is quasi-experimental. The sample is 33 subjects in treatment phase. Study variables are tumour classification TNM, anthropometric measures, resistance strength, hypertension, fatigue, incontinence, pain and quality of life. After 24 weeks a significant improvement on resistance strength capacity is observed. This result is more consistent in lower extremities. Also improves hypertension, urinary incontinence, pain and quality of life. As conclusion, the improvement of the quality of life is mediated by the functional and physical capacity of the ill person

A crise europeia: excepcionalidade econômica, gestão autoritária e emergência de formas ativas de resistência civil = The European crisis: economic exceptionality, authoritarian rulings and the emergence of active forms of civil resistance

Thirty years after neo-liberalism hegemony, the states shows its incapacity for driving democratically exceptional situations like global economical crisis. In this context, it seems a particularly interesting issue to exam the popular alternatives that are growing to reject the institutional paralysis. This work take these problems since European perspective, especially this one of Spain, and its scope is justify the new forms of civil disobedience that are growing. They are analyzed not like"paradoxes" of democracy, but like necessary instruments of participative democracy into a really exceptional scenario

Effect of tow-drop gaps on the damage resistance and tolerance of Variable-Stiffness Panels

This paper presents an experimental study of the effects of tow-drop gaps in Variable Stiffness Panels under drop-weight impact events. Two different configurations, with and without ply-staggering, have been manufactured by Automated Fibre Placement and compared with their baseline counterpart without defects. For the study of damage resistance, three levels of low velocity impact energy are generated with a drop-weight tower. The damage area is analysed by means of ultrasonic inspection. Results of the analysed defect configurations indicate that the influence of gap defects is only relevant under small impact energy values. However, in the case of damage tolerance, the residual compressive strength after impact does not present significant differences to that of conventional straight fibre laminates. This indicates that the strength reduction is driven mainly by the damage caused by the impact event rather than by the influence of manufacturing-induced defects

Decay of linkage disequilibrium within genes across HGDP-CEPH human samples: most population isolates do not show increased LD

Background It is well known that the pattern of linkage disequilibrium varies between human populations, with remarkable geographical stratification. Indirect association studies routinely exploit linkage disequilibrium around genes, particularly in isolated populations where it is assumed to be higher. Here, we explore both the amount and the decay of linkage disequilibrium with physical distance along 211 gene regions, most of them related to complex diseases, across 39 HGDP-CEPH population samples, focusing particularly on the populations defined as isolates. Within each gene region and population we use r2 between all possible single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) pairs as a measure of linkage disequilibrium and focus on the proportion of SNP pairs with r2 greater than 0.8. Results Although the average r2 was found to be significantly different both between and within continental regions, a much higher proportion of r2 variance could be attributed to differences between continental regions (2.8% vs. 0.5%, respectively). Similarly, while the proportion of SNP pairs with r2 > 0.8 was significantly different across continents for all distance classes, it was generally much more homogenous within continents, except in the case of Africa and the Americas. The only isolated populations with consistently higher LD in all distance classes with respect to their continent are the Kalash (Central South Asia) and the Surui (America). Moreover, isolated populations showed only slightly higher proportions of SNP pairs with r2 > 0.8 per gene region than non-isolated populations in the same continent. Thus, the number of SNPs in isolated populations that need to be genotyped may be only slightly less than in non-isolates. Conclusion The 'isolated population' label by itself does not guarantee a greater genotyping efficiency in association studies, and properties other than increased linkage disequilibrium may make these populations interesting in genetic epidemiology.

Multidrug resistance protein 1 localization in lipid raft domains and prostasomes in prostate cancer cell lines

Background: One of the problems in prostate cancer (CaP) treatment is the appearance of the multidrug resistance phenotype, in which ATP-binding cassette transporters such as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) play a role. Different localizations of the transporter have been reported, some of them related to the chemoresistant phenotype. Aim: This study aimed to compare the localization of MRP1 in three prostate cell lines (normal, androgen-sensitive, and androgen-independent) in order to understand its possible role in CaP chemoresistance. Methods: MRP1 and caveolae protein markers were detected using confocal microscopy, performing colocalization techniques. Lipid raft isolation made it possible to detect these proteins by Western blot analysis. Caveolae and prostasomes were identified by electron microscopy. Results: We show that MRP1 is found in lipid raft fractions of tumor cells and that the number of caveolae increases with malignancy acquisition. MRP1 is found not only in the plasma membrane associated with lipid rafts but also in cytoplasmic accumulations colocalizing with the prostasome markers Caveolin-1 and CD59, suggesting that in CaP cells, MRP1 is localized in prostasomes. Conclusion: We hypothesize that the presence of MRP1 in prostasomes could serve as a reservoir of MRP1; thus, taking advantage of the release of their content, MRP1 could be translocated to the plasma membrane contributing to the chemoresistant phenotype. The presence of MRP1 in prostasomes could serve as a predictor of malignancy in CaP

Multidrug resistance protein 1 localization in lipid raft domains and prostasomes in prostate cancer cell lines

Background: One of the problems in prostate cancer (CaP) treatment is the appearance of the multidrug resistance phenotype, in which ATP-binding cassette transporters such as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) play a role. Different localizations of the transporter have been reported, some of them related to the chemoresistant phenotype. Aim: This study aimed to compare the localization of MRP1 in three prostate cell lines (normal, androgen-sensitive, and androgen-independent) in order to understand its possible role in CaP chemoresistance. Methods: MRP1 and caveolae protein markers were detected using confocal microscopy, performing colocalization techniques. Lipid raft isolation made it possible to detect these proteins by Western blot analysis. Caveolae and prostasomes were identified by electron microscopy. Results: We show that MRP1 is found in lipid raft fractions of tumor cells and that the number of caveolae increases with malignancy acquisition. MRP1 is found not only in the plasma membrane associated with lipid rafts but also in cytoplasmic accumulations colocalizing with the prostasome markers Caveolin-1 and CD59, suggesting that in CaP cells, MRP1 is localized in prostasomes. Conclusion: We hypothesize that the presence of MRP1 in prostasomes could serve as a reservoir of MRP1; thus, taking advantage of the release of their content, MRP1 could be translocated to the plasma membrane contributing to the chemoresistant phenotype. The presence of MRP1 in prostasomes could serve as a predictor of malignancy in CaP