Uncovering novel bacterial and archaeal diversity: genomic insights from metagenome-assembled genomes in Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila.

A comprehensive study was conducted in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB) in Coahuila, Mexico, which is known for its diversity of microorganisms and unique physicochemical properties. The study focused on the "Archaean Domes" (AD) site in the CCB, which is characterized by an abundance of hypersaline, non-lithifying microbial mats. In AD, we analyzed the small domes and circular structures using metagenome assembly genomes (MAGs) with the aim of expanding our understanding of the prokaryotic tree of life by uncovering previously unreported lineages, as well as analyzing the diversity of bacteria and archaea in the CCB. A total of 325 MAGs were identified, including 48 Archaea and 277 Bacteria. Remarkably, 22 archaea and 104 bacteria could not be classified even at the genus level, highlighting the remarkable novel diversity of the CCB. Besides, AD site exhibited significant diversity at the phylum level, with Proteobacteria being the most abundant, followed by Desulfobacteria, Spirochaetes, Bacteroidetes, Nanoarchaeota, Halobacteriota, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota, Actinomycetes and Chloroflexi. In Archaea, the monophyletic groups of MAGs belonged to the Archaeoglobi, Aenigmarchaeota, Candidate Nanoarchaeota, and Halobacteriota. Among Bacteria, monophyletic groups were also identified, including Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Candidate Bipolaricaulota, Desulfobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. These monophyletic groups were possibly influenced by geographic isolation, as well as the extreme and fluctuating environmental conditions in the pond AD, such as stoichiometric imbalance of C:N:P of 122:42:1, fluctuating pH (5-9.8) and high salinity (5.28% to saturation).

Sustainable agricultural practices influence s-metolachlor, foramsulfuron and thiencarbazone-methyl degradation and their metabolites formation.

The effect of sustainable agricultural practices, such as mulching or the application of straw residues as an organic amendment, on the degradation, dissipation and persistence in the soil of S-metolachlor (SMOC), foramsulfuron (FORAM) and thiencarbazone-methyl (TCM) is still unclear. The objective here was to conduct a laboratory experiment to evaluate the impact of milled wheat straw (WS) simulating its individual use as mulch or applied as an organic amendment to two agricultural soils: unamended and WS-amended soils on the degradation kinetics of the herbicides SMOC, FORAM and TCM, and on the formation of their major metabolites at two incubation temperatures (14 °C and 24 °C). The degradation rate of SMOC on WS was 6.9-16.7 times faster than that observed for FORAM and TCM at both temperatures. The half-life (DT50) values were 1.1-10.6 times lower for FORAM than for SMOC and TCM in the unamended and WS-amended soils at 14 °C and 24 °C. The application of WS to soils increased the DT50 values from 1.1 to 11.2 times for all the herbicides at both incubation temperatures due to their higher adsorption and lower bioavailability. The herbicides recorded a faster degradation at 24 °C (1.2-3.9 times) than at 14 °C, according to Q10 values >1. SMOC metabolites were more persistent in WS-amended soils than in unamended ones, in agreement with the DT50 values recorded for the parent compound. The results indicate that the effect of the mulch applied to soils as an organic amendment was different depending on the herbicide and incubation temperature. The outcomes of this research can give key suggestions for reducing the effects of residual herbicides following sustainable agricultural practices by avoiding soil and groundwater contamination, which is one of the challenges involved in the application of chemical inputs.

A rapid approach for sex assignment by RAD-seq using a reference genome.

Sex identification is a common objective in molecular ecology. While many vertebrates display sexual dimorphism, determining the sex can be challenging in certain situations, such as species lacking clear sex-related phenotypic characteristics or in studies using non-invasive methods. In these cases, DNA analyses serve as valuable tools not only for sex determination but also for validating sex assignment based on phenotypic traits. In this study, we developed a bioinformatic framework for sex assignment using genomic data obtained through GBS, and having an available closely related genome assembled at the chromosome level. Our method consists of two ad hoc indexes that rely on the different properties of the mammalian heteromorphic sex chromosomes. For this purpose, we mapped RAD-seq loci to a reference genome and then obtained missingness and coverage depth values for the autosomes and X and Y chromosomes of each individual. Our methodology successfully determined the sex of 165 fur seals that had been phenotypically sexed in a previous study and 40 sea lions sampled in a non-invasive way. Additionally, we evaluated the accuracy of each index in sequences with varying average coverage depths, with Index Y proving greater reliability and robustness in assigning sex to individuals with low-depth coverage. We believe that the approach presented here can be extended to any animal taxa with known heteromorphic XY/ZW sex chromosome systems and that it can tolerate various qualities of GBS sequencing data.

Experiencias de las enfermeras en primera línea contagiadas con COVID-19 que recibieron atención domiciliaria / Experiências de enfermeiros da linha de frente infectados com COVID-19 que receberam atendimento domiciliar / Experiences of frontline nurses infected with COVID-19 who received home care

Introducción: Las enfermeras han brindado cuidados a lospacientes con COVID-19, y muchas tuvieron que lidiar coneste virus al ser infectadas.Objetivo: Describir las experiencias de las enfermeras enprimera línea contagiadas con COVID-19 que recibieronatención domiciliaria.Método: Investigación cualitativa descriptiva, el tamaño dela muestra fue con 12 enfermeras infectadas con COVID-19que recibieron tratamiento domiciliario en Chiclayo, Perú. Elmuestreo fue por la técnica de bola de nieve. Para recolectarlos datos se utilizó la entrevista semiestructurada a travésde los medios virtuales previo consentimiento informado.Resultados: Surgieron tres categorías: a) Incertidumbre antemodo de contagio, medios de diagnóstico, sintomatología yevolución por la COVID-19, b) Cuidados recuperativos enel hogar: tratamiento médico, uso de medicina tradicional ymedidas de bioseguridad, y c) Impacto en la vida familiar,laboral, social, emocional y espiritual al sufrir de la COVID-19.Conclusiones: Las enfermeras presentaron síntomas leves dela COVID-19 y se recuperaron en su domicilio, cumplieroncon el tratamiento médico, algunas usaron remedios caseros.Practicaron estrictamente las medidas de bioseguridad paraevitar que su familia se contagie. Utilizaron la tecnologíadigital y reforzaron su fe para afrontar el impacto familiar,emocional y social.(AU)

Introduction: Nurses have provided care to patients with COVID-19,and many have had to deal with this virus when infected.Objective: To describe the experiences of frontline nursesinfected with COVID-19 who received home care.Method: Descriptive qualitative research, the sample sizewas 12 nurses infected with COVID-19 who received hometreatment in Chiclayo, Peru. Sampling was by snowballtechnique. To collect the data, the semi-structured interviewwas used through virtual media with prior informed consent.Results: Three categories emerged: a) Uncertainty regardingthe mode of transmission, means of diagnosis, symptomatologyand evolution due to COVID-19, b) Recuperative care athome: medical treatment, use of traditional medicine andbiosafety measures, and c) Impact on the family, work, social,emotional and spiritual life when suffering from COVID-19.Conclusions: The nurses presented mild symptoms ofCOVID-19 and recovered at home, complied with medicaltreatment, some used home remedies. They strictly practicedbiosecurity measures to prevent their family from gettinginfected. They used digital technology and strengthened theirfaith to cope with the family, emotional and social impact.(AU)

Introdução: Enfermeiras têm prestado atendimento a pacientescom COVID-19, e muitos tiveram que lidar com esse vírusquando infectados.Objetivo: Descrever as experiências de enfermeiros dalinha de frente infectados com COVID-19 que receberamatendimento domiciliar.Método: Emergiram três categorias: a) Incerteza quanto aomodo de contágio, meios de diagnóstico, sintomatologiae evolução da COVID-19, b) Cuidados de recuperação nodomicílio: tratamento médico, uso da medicina tradicional emedidas de biossegurança, e c) Impacto na saúde vida familiar,laboral, social, emocional e espiritual ao sofrer de COVID-19. Resultados: a) Participação do pessoal de saúde na atenção domiciliar: Consulta médica,administração de medicamentos e educação em saúde, b) Participação da família na atençãodomiciliar: Satisfação das necessidades básicas, apoio emocional e espiritual, c) Anedotas familiaressobre oferta de oxigênio, cuidados com oxigenoterapia e pós -Terapia respiratória COVID-19, d)Controvérsias para aplicação de protocolos de biossegurança durante o atendimento domiciliar.Conclusões: As enfermeiras apresentaram sintomas leves de COVID-19 e se recuperaram em casa,cumpriram tratamento médico, alguns usaram remédios caseiros. Eles praticavam rigorosamenteas medidas de biossegurança para evitar que sua família fosse infectada. Eles usaram a tecnologiadigital e fortaleceram sua fé para lidar com o impacto familiar, emocional e social.(AU)

Factores asociados a la adherencia a la hemodiálisis y al tratamiento farmacológico en Perú / Factors associated with adherence to hemodialysis and pharmacologic treatment in Peru

Introduction: Inadequate adherence to pharmacological treatment and hemodialysis sessions leads to complications for patients with chronic kidney disease. Objective: To analyze the factors associated with adherence to hemodialysis and pharmacological treatment. Material and Method: This non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational, and observational study was conducted following approval from the Ethics Committee. The population consisted of 90 patients, from which a sample of 71 was obtained. Information was collected through a questionnaire consisting of the Batalla and MMAS-8 tests. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 25. Resultados: 49.30% of patients showed adherence to hemodialysis sessions. However, 94.37% displayed a lack of adherence to pharmacological treatment. Factors associated with adherence to the sessions included age, knowledge about the disease, duration of hemodialysis, number of comorbidities, and number of medications. Factors associated with adherence to pharmacological treatment were knowledge about chronic kidney disease and the number of comorbidities.Conclusions: There is a higher probability of attending hemodialysis sessions when the patient is older, knows about the disease, and has been undergoing dialysis treatment for more than five years. There is a higher likelihood of low pharmaco-logical adherence when the patient has three or more comorbidities. Implementing educational intervention programs is recommended, along with considering strategies such as booklets or mobile phone alarms for medication intake and attendance at hemodialysis. (AU)

Introducción: La inadecuada adherencia al tratamiento farmacológico y las sesiones de hemodiálisis conllevan complicaciones para el paciente con enfermedad renal crónica. Objetivo: Analizar los factores asociados a la adherencia a la hemodiálisis y al tratamiento farmacológico. Material y Método: Diseño no experimental, transversal, correlacional y observacional, tras aprobación del Comité Ético. Población conformada por 90 pacientes, de la cual se obtuvo una muestra de 71. La información se recolectó mediante un cuestionario conformado por el test de Batalla y test MMAS-8. Se realizo análisis estadístico con Microsoft Excel 2016 y Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 25. Resultados: El 49,30% de los pacientes presentaron adherencia a las sesiones de hemodiálisis, sin embargo, el 94,37% tuvo falta de adherencia al tratamiento farmacológico. Los factores asociados con la adherencia a las sesiones fueron la edad, el conocimiento sobre la enfermedad, el tiempo de hemodiálisis, el número de comorbilidades y el número de fármacos. Los factores asociados con la adherencia al tratamiento farmacológico fueron el conocimiento sobre la enfermedad renal crónica, y el número de comorbilidades. Conclusiones: Existe mayor probabilidad de cumplir con las sesiones de hemodiálisis cuando el paciente es adulto mayor, tiene conocimiento sobre la enfermedad, y lleva más de cinco años en tratamiento dialítico. Existe mayor probabilidad de tener baja adherencia farmacológica cuando el paciente presenta de 3 a más comorbilidades. Se recomienda la implementación de programas educativos de intervención y considerar estrategias como cartillas o alarmas en celulares para el consumo de fármacos y la asistencia a la hemodiálisis. (AU)

In Vivo Genotoxicity and Cytotoxicity Kinetics of Trimethoprim Sulfamethoxazole in Well-nourished and Undernourished Young Rats.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Undernutrition is a serious health problem prevalent in poor countries, affecting millions of people worldwide, especially young children, pregnant women, and sick elderly individuals. This condition increases vulnerability to infections, leading to widespread use of antibiotic treatments in undernourished populations. The objective of the present study was to determine the in vivo genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) treatment according to nutritional conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of TMP-SMX treatment were measured by analyzing the kinetics of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RET) induced in the peripheral blood of young, well-nourished (WN) and undernourished (UN) rats. RESULTS: In the WN group, two distinct peaks of MN-RET were observed, while the UN group had a significantly higher basal frequency of MN-RET compared to the WN group and only a later peak. Reticulocyte (RET) frequency slightly decreased in WN, indicating a poor cytotoxic effect. In contrast, in the UN, the treatment caused a significant increase in RET frequency. The results indicate that SMX's aromaticity index decreases when formed with TMP, suggesting potentially fewer toxic effects. CONCLUSION: In vivo TMP-SMX produces two MN-RET induction peaks in WN animals, indicating two DNA damage induction mechanisms and consequent micronucleus production. The UN rats did not display the two peaks, indicating that the first MN induction mechanism did not occur in UN, possibly due to pharmacokinetic effects, decreased metabolism or effects on cell proliferation. TMP-SMX has a slight cytotoxic effect on WN. In contrast, in the UN, the antibiotic treatment seems to favor early erythropoiesis.

The muscle regeneration marker FOXP3 is associated with muscle injury in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BACKGROUND: In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the immune system cells (ISC) synthesize molecules to regulate inflammation, a process needed to regenerate muscle. The relationship between those molecules and the muscle injury is unknown. Monocytes belonging to ISC are regulated by omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFAs) in DMD, but whether those fatty acids influence other ISC like T-cells is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the expression of the muscle regeneration markers (FOXP3 and AREG) in circulating leukocytes of DMD patients with different lower limb muscle functions and whether ω-3 LCPUFAs regulate the expression of those markers, and the populations of circulating T-cells, their intracellular cytokines, and disease progression (CD69 and CD49d) markers. METHODS: This placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study was conducted in DMD boys supplemented with ω-3 LCPUFAs (n = 18) or placebo (sunflower oil, n = 13) for six months. FOXP3 and AREG mRNA expression in leukocytes, immunophenotyping of T-cell populations, CD49d and CD69 markers, and intracellular cytokines in blood samples were analyzed at baseline and months 1, 2, 3, and 6 of supplementation. RESULTS: Patients with assisted ambulation expressed higher (P = 0.015) FOXP3 mRNA levels than ambulatory patients. The FOXP3 mRNA expression correlated (Rho = -0.526, P = 0.03) with the Vignos scale score at month six of supplementation with ω-3 LCPUFAs. CD49d + CD8 + T-cells population was lower (P = 0.037) in the ω -3 LCPUFAs group than placebo at month six of supplementation. CONCLUSION: FOXP3 is highly expressed in circulating leukocytes of DMD patients with the worst muscle function. Omega-3 LCPUFAs might modulate the synthesis of the adhesion marker CD49d + CD8 + T-cells, but their plausible impact on FOXP3 needs more research.

Comparative evaluation of bioinformatic tools for virus-host prediction and their application to a highly diverse community in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, Mexico.

Due to the enormous diversity of non-culturable viruses, new viruses must be characterized using culture-independent techniques. The associated host is an important phenotypic feature that can be inferred from metagenomic viral contigs thanks to the development of several bioinformatic tools. Here, we compare the performance of recently developed virus-host prediction tools on a dataset of 1,046 virus-host pairs and then apply the best-performing tools to a metagenomic dataset derived from a highly diverse transiently hypersaline site known as the Archaean Domes (AD) within the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, Coahuila, Mexico. Among host-dependent methods, alignment-based approaches had a precision of 66.07% and a sensitivity of 24.76%, while alignment-free methods had an average precision of 75.7% and a sensitivity of 57.5%. RaFAH, a virus-dependent alignment-based tool, had the best overall performance (F1_score = 95.7%). However, when predicting the host of AD viruses, methods based on public reference databases (such as RaFAH) showed lower inter-method agreement than host-dependent methods run against custom databases constructed from prokaryotes inhabiting AD. Methods based on custom databases also showed the greatest agreement between the source environment and the predicted host taxonomy, habitat, lifestyle, or metabolism. This highlights the value of including custom data when predicting hosts on a highly diverse metagenomic dataset, and suggests that using a combination of methods and qualitative validations related to the source environment and predicted host biology can increase the number of correct predictions. Finally, these predictions suggest that AD viruses infect halophilic archaea as well as a variety of bacteria that may be halophilic, halotolerant, alkaliphilic, thermophilic, oligotrophic, sulfate-reducing, or marine, which is consistent with the specific environment and the known geological and biological evolution of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and its microorganisms.

Design and Characterization of Ocular Inserts Loaded with Dexamethasone for the Treatment of Inflammatory Ophthalmic Disease.

The short precorneal residence time of ophthalmic drops is associated with their low absorption; therefore, the development of ocular inserts capable of prolonging and controlling the ophthalmic release of drugs is an interesting option in the design and development of these drugs. A surface response design was developed, specifically the Central Composite Design (CCD), to produce ophthalmic films loaded with Dexamethasone (DEX) by the solvent evaporation method having experimental levels of different concentrations of previously selected polymers (PVP K-30 and Eudragit RS100.). Once optimization of the formulation was obtained, the in vivo test was continued. The optimal formulation obtained a thickness of 0.265 ± 0.095 mm, pH of 7.11 ± 0.04, tensile strength of 15.50 ± 3.94 gF, humidity (%) of 22.54 ± 1.7, mucoadhesion strength of 16.89 ± 3.46 gF, chemical content (%) of 98.19 ± 1.124, release of (%) 13,510.71, and swelling of 0.0403 ± 0.023 g; furthermore, in the in vivo testing the number and residence time of PMN cells were lower compared to the Ophthalmic Drops. The present study confirms the potential use of polymeric systems using PVPK30 and ERS100 as a new strategy of controlled release of ophthalmic drugs by controlling and prolonging the release of DEX at the affected site by decreasing the systemic effects of the drug.

Synergistic Effect of Retinoic Acid and Lactoferrin in the Maintenance of Gut Homeostasis.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a glycoprotein that binds to iron ions (Fe2+) and other metallic ions, such as Mg2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+, and has antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties. The antibacterial properties of LF are due to its ability to sequester iron. The immunomodulatory capability of LF promotes homeostasis in the enteric environment, acting directly on the beneficial microbiota. LF can modulate antigen-presenting cell (APC) biology, including migration and cell activation. Nonetheless, some gut microbiota strains produce toxic metabolites, and APCs are responsible for initiating the process that inhibits the inflammatory response against them. Thus, eliminating harmful strains lowers the risk of inducing chronic inflammation, and consequently, metabolic disease, which can progress to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). LF and retinoic acid (RA) exhibit immunomodulatory properties such as decreasing cytokine production, thus modifying the inflammatory response. Their activities have been observed both in vitro and in vivo. The combined, simultaneous effect of these molecules has not been studied; however, the synergistic effect of LF and RA may be employed for enhancing the secretion of humoral factors, such as IgA. We speculate that the combination of LF and RA could be a potential prophylactic alternative for the treatment of metabolic dysregulations such as T2DM. The present review focuses on the importance of a healthy diet for a balanced gut and describes how probiotics and prebiotics with immunomodulatory activity as well as inductors of differentiation and cell proliferation could be acquired directly from the diet or indirectly through the oral administration of formulations aimed to maintain gut health or restore a eubiotic state in an intestinal environment that has been dysregulated by external factors such as stress and a high-fat diet.

Biopsia guiada por ecografía para el diagnóstico de masas ováricas. Revisión sistemática / Ecography guided biopsy for the diagnosis of ovarian masses. Systematic review

El diagnóstico definitivo del cáncer de ovario precisa de confirmación histológica. En determinadas situaciones, para evitar la morbilidad de la resección quirúrgica, es posible hacer una biopsia guiada por ecografía para obtener el diagnóstico anatomopatológico. El objetivo de esta revisión sistemática fue evaluar la adecuación, fiabilidad, precisión y perfil de seguridad de la biopsia guiada por ecografía de masas ováricas. Siguiendo el modelo PRISMA 2020, se hizo una búsqueda bibliográfica en PubMed, Embase y Scopus y se recopilaron un total de 10.245 artículos, de los cuales 24 fueron finalmente incluidos. Los trabajos incluían de forma mayoritaria pacientes con tumores inoperables avanzados, pobre performance status y otros factores de mal pronóstico, con masas de contenido sólido y márgenes irregulares, generalmente accesibles por vía transvaginal. En la mayoría de los artículos las pacientes presentaban historia previa de malignidad o tumores inoperables en estadios avanzados. Las masas ováricas biopsiables se definían en la ecografía como malignas o potencialmente malignas, con la presencia destacada de un componente sólido o mixto con márgenes irregulares o heterogéneos. La técnica más utilizada en los estudios incluidos fue la biopsia con aguja gruesa o tru-cut, con altos valores de adecuación, fiabilidad, precisión y rendimiento, así como un buen perfil de seguridad y bajas tasas de complicaciones. En conclusión, la biopsia con aguja gruesa de las masas anexiales guiada por ecografía, en pacientes subsidiarios de tratamiento neoadyuvante, es una técnica con altas tasas de adecuación, fiabilidad, precisión y buen perfil de seguridad.(AU)

The definitive diagnosis of ovarian cancer requires histological confirmation. In certain situations, to avoid the morbidity of surgical resection, it is possible to perform an ultrasound-guided biopsy to obtain the pathological diagnosis. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the adequacy, reliability, accuracy, and safety profile of ultrasound-guided biopsy of ovarian masses. Following the PRISMA 2020 model, a bibliographic search was carried out in PubMed, Embase and Scopus, collecting a total of 10,245 articles, of which 24 were finally included. The studies mainly included patients with advanced inoperable tumors, poor performance status and other poor prognostic factors, with masses of solid content and irregular margins, generally accessible through the transvaginal route. In most of the articles, the patients had a previous history of malignancy or had inoperable tumors in advanced stages. Biopsiable ovarian masses were defined ultrasonographically as malignant or potentially malignant, mainly highlighting the presence of a solid or mixed component and irregular or heterogeneous margins. The most widely used technique in the included studies was core needle or tru-cut biopsy, presenting high values of adequacy, reliability, precision and performance, as well as a good safety profile with low complication rates. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy of adnexal masses in patients eligible for neoadjuvant treatment is a technique with high adequacy, reliability, and precision rates, as well as a good safety profile.(AU)

Identification of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' the Huanglongbing Bacterium in citrus from Colombia.

Candidatus Liberibacter spp is the most prevalent microorganism in the citrus plant, associated with Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), which is transmitted by the psyllid vector. In Colombia, the vector Diaphorina citri Kugayama has been reported in different regions, but "Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus" (CLas) has only been detected in insect vectors, not in citrus host plants. To identify the presence and quantify the pathogen in citrus tissues, we employed a combined strategy that involved three techniques based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR). First, we used endpoint PCR with specific primers for CLas (OI1-OI2c) to confirm the infection. Second, we used qPCR with specific primers CIT295a - CIT298 designed on 16S rDNA gene regions to quantify the pathogen load. Finally, we employed droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to determine the copy number of the pathogen in citrus tissues using the ß-subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) gene (nrdB) that is specific to CLas. We identified the presence of CLas in citrus plants for the first time in Colombia and quantified its titer in the plant tissue. We employed ddPCR and qPCR to provide crucial information for the country's disease management, control strategies, and general crop health.

Emergence of Raoultella ornithinolytica in human infections from different hospitals in Ecuador with OXA-48-producing resistance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to highlight the clinical and molecular features of 13 Raoultella ornithinolytica strains isolated from clinical environments in Ecuador, and to perform comparative genomics with previously published genomes of Raoultella spp. As Raoultella is primarily found in environmental, clinical settings, we focused our work on identifying mechanisms of resistance that can provide this bacterium an advantage to establish and persist in hospital environments. Methods: We analyzed 13 strains of Raoultella ornithinolytica isolated from patients with healthcare associated infections (HAI) in three hospitals in Quito and one in Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas, Ecuador, between November 2017 and April 2018. These isolates were subjected to phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of carbapenemases and whole-genome sequencing. Results: Polymerase chain reaction revealed that seven isolates were positive isolates for blaOXA-48 and one for blaKPC-2 gene. Of the seven strains that presented the blaOXA-48 gene, six harbored it on an IncFII plasmid, one was inserted into the bacterial chromosome. The blaKPC gene was detected in an IncM2/IncR plasmid. From the bioinformatics analysis, nine genomes had the gene blaOXA-48, originating from Ecuador. Moreover, all R. ornithinolytica strains contained the ORN-1 gene, which confers resistance for ß-lactams, such as penicillins and cephalosporins. Comparative genome analysis of the strains showed that the pangenome of R. ornithinolytica is considered an open pangenome, with 27.77% of core genes, which could be explained by the fact that the antibiotic resistance genes in the ancestral reconstruction are relatively new, suggesting that this genome is constantly incorporating new genes. Conclusion: These results reveal the genome plasticity of R. ornithinolytica, particularly in acquiring antibiotic-resistance genes. The genomic surveillance and infectious control of these uncommon species are important since they may contribute to the burden of antimicrobial resistance and human health.

Competencias digitales en profesionales de ciencias de la salud / Digital Competences in Health Sciences Professionals

Introducción: Los adelantos tecnológicos han democratizado el uso de internet, lo que ha ocasionado la necesidad de la competencia digital en los profesionales de la salud para potenciar sus capacidades y mejorar en todas las ramas los servicios sanitarios, la salud humana y el bienestar de la población, aspectos que deben considerarse en la formación profesional. Objetivo: Describir las competencias digitales de los profesionales de ciencias de la salud. Métodos: Revisión bibliográfica de tipo descriptiva, realizada en bases de datos bibliográficas especializadas (PubMed, Science Direct, Dialnet, SciELO, ProQuest, Latindex), en la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud (BVS) y revistas científicas (Educación Médica Superior), desde abril de 2011 hasta diciembre de 2021. Resultados: De 1431 artículos, se seleccionaron 21 que dieron como resultado seis categorías: información y alfabetización informacional, comunicación y colaboración, uso técnico y seguridad, creación de contenido digital, resolución de problemas y factores relacionados con la competencia digital. Conclusiones: Los profesionales de ciencias de la salud presentan deficiencias en las competencias información y alfabetización informacional, comunicación y colaboración, creación de contenido digital y uso técnico y seguridad. Sin embargo, en resolución de problemas presentan más destrezas; a ellas se asocian factores donde los varones son más competentes que las mujeres y existe una correlación inversa en la que a mayor competencia menor edad tienen los profesionales de la salud(AU)

Introduction: Technological advances have democratized the use of the Internet, which has caused the need for digital competence in health professionals, in view of enhancing their capabilities and improving in all branches of health services, human health and population welfare, aspects that should be considered in professional training. Objective: To describe the digital competences of health sciences professionals. Methods: A descriptive literature review was conducted in specialized bibliographic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Dialnet, SciELO, ProQuest, Latindex), the Virtual Health Library (VHL), and scientific journals (Educación Médica Superior), from April 2011 to December 2021. Results: Out of 1431 articles, 21 were selected, which permitted to obtain six categories: information and information literacy, communication and collaboration, technical use and safety, digital content creation, problem solving, and factors related to digital competence. Conclusions: Health sciences professionals present deficiencies in the competences of information and information literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, as well as technical use and safety. However, they present more skills in problem solving; these are associated with factors in which males are more competent than females and there is an inverse correlation by which the greater the competence, the younger the health professionals are(AU)

Experimental observations of fractal landscape dynamics in a dense emulsion.

Many soft and biological materials display so-called 'soft glassy' dynamics; their constituents undergo anomalous random motions and complex cooperative rearrangements. A recent simulation model of one soft glassy material, a coarsening foam, suggested that the random motions of its bubbles are due to the system configuration moving over a fractal energy landscape in high-dimensional space. Here we show that the salient geometrical features of such high-dimensional fractal landscapes can be explored and reliably quantified, using empirical trajectory data from many degrees of freedom, in a model-free manner. For a mayonnaise-like dense emulsion, analysis of the observed trajectories of oil droplets quantitatively reproduces the high-dimensional fractal geometry of the configuration path and its associated local energy minima generated using a computational model. That geometry in turn drives the droplets' complex random motion observed in real space. Our results indicate that experimental studies can elucidate whether the similar dynamics in different soft and biological materials may also be due to fractal landscape dynamics.

Pilot study on the effect of supplementation with long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on body composition in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA-ω3), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) might have beneficial effects on lean mass and fat mass synthesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of LCPUFA-ω3 supplementation on body composition changes in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at remission and three months (3 mo) after supplementation. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 72 children (3-13 y) with newly diagnosed ALL (placebo group [500 mg sunflower oil]: 36 patients; LCPUFA-ω3 group [225 mg DHA, 45 mg EPA]: 36 patients). LCPUFA-ω3 was administered at 0.100 g/kg of body weight/day for 3 mo. Both groups were provided with an oral milkshake supplement. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Body composition was measured at diagnosis, remission, and 3 months after supplementation by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Red blood cell fatty acid analyses were performed with gas chromatography. Student's t test compared the percentage changes in body weight, total body fat percentage (TBFP), and lean body mass (LBM) between the groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the groups, and the Friedman range test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for intratreatment comparisons. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for LBM and erythrocyte LCPUFA-ω3 content. RESULTS: LBM decreased significantly in both groups. This loss was greater in the placebo group than in the LCPUFA-ω3 group at remission (p = 0.044) and at 3 months of supplementation (p = 0.039). There were significant and progressive increases in DHA and EPA concentrations in the LCPUFA-ω3 group (p < 0.001). LBM at remission was directly correlated with increased DHA (r = 0.487, p = 0.034) and EPA (r = 0.499, p = 0.030) erythrocytes in the LCPUFA-ω3 group. CONCLUSION: At ALL diagnosis and during the first three months of treatment, 100 mg/kg of body weight/d DHA and EPA decreased LBM loss and allowed the incorporation of fatty acids into cell membranes (clinicaltriasl.gov #: NCT01051154).

Evaluating the sensitivity, stability, and cross-reactivity of commercial fentanyl immunoassay test strips.

Illicit fentanyl has flooded the United States' drug market, increasing the risk of overdose and poisonings throughout the general population and accidental exposure among law enforcement officers confiscating the increasing number of seizures. Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are used to obtain presumptive information about the presence of fentanyl in a suspected sample. However, their adoption by law enforcement personnel and seized-drug analysts has been limited because most products are advertised for urine testing, not for assays using water solutions. This study presents an evaluation of four commercial FTS: Rapid Response from BTNX, Inc.; T-Dip Fentanyl (FTY) Urine Dip Cards obtained from Amazon.com; Premier BioDip FYL10 from Premier Biotech Inc.; and MobileDetect Fentanyl strips from DetectaChem, Inc. Performance characteristics curves were used to compare the products' sensitivity, showing that all can reliably detect fentanyl in aqueous solutions at concentrations below 1 µg/mL, with some of the tests able to reliably detect the drug at 200 ng/mL. A stability study demonstrates the performance of all four FTS brands was only slightly affected after 30 days of storage at two extreme environmental conditions. Fentanyl-related substances are also evaluated using the Rapid Response FTS, which showed high cross-reactivity with para-fluorofentanyl and acetylfentanyl, but lower with ortho-chlorofentanyl, carfentanil, and 4-ANPP. Users should be aware that FTS may give false-negative results even when potentially dangerous levels of carfentanil are present. When testing other common drugs, adulterants, and diluents frequently encountered in seized tablets, concentration-dependent results were obtained and multiple instances of false positives were recorded.

Self-assembled block copolymer biomaterials for oral delivery of protein therapeutics.

Protein therapeutics have guided a transformation in disease treatment for various clinical conditions. They have been successful in numerous applications, but administration of protein therapeutics has been limited to parenteral routes which can decrease patient compliance as they are invasive and painful. In recent years, the synergistic relationship of novel biomaterials with modern protein therapeutics has been crucial in the treatment of diseases that were once thought of as incurable. This has guided the development of a variety of alternative administration routes, but the oral delivery of therapeutics remains one of the most desirable due to its ease of administration. This review addresses important aspects of micellar structures prepared by self-assembled processes with applications for oral delivery. These two characteristics have not been placed together in previous literature within the field. Therefore, we describe the barriers for delivery of protein therapeutics, and we concentrate in the oral/transmucosal pathway where drug carriers must overcome several chemical, physical, and biological barriers to achieve a successful therapeutic effect. We critically discuss recent research on biomaterials systems for delivering such therapeutics with an emphasis on self-assembled synthetic block copolymers. Polymerization methods and nanoparticle preparation techniques are similarly analyzed as well as relevant work in this area. Based on our own and others' research, we analyze the use of block copolymers as therapeutic carriers and their promise in treating a variety of diseases, with emphasis on self-assembled micelles for the next generation of oral protein therapeutic systems.

Mulching vs. organic soil amendment: Effects on adsorption-desorption of herbicides.

Mulching and organic soil amendment are two agricultural practices that are being increasingly used to preserve soil from degradation, although they may modify the fate of herbicides when applied in soils subjected to these practices. This study has set out to compare the impact of both agricultural practices on the adsorption-desorption behaviour of the herbicides S-metolachlor (SMOC), foramsulfuron (FORAM), and thiencarbazone-methyl (TCM) involving winter wheat mulch residues at different stages of decomposition and particle size, and unamended soils or those amended with mulch. The Freundlich Kf adsorption constants of the three herbicides by mulches, and unamended and amended soils ranged between 1.34 and 65.8 (SMOC), 0-34.3 (FORAM), and 0.01-1.10 (TCM). The adsorption of the three compounds was significantly higher in mulches than in soils (unamended and amended). The adsorption of SMOC and FORAM increased significantly with mulch decomposition, with this positive impact also being observed on the adsorption of FORAM and TCM after mulch milling. Simple and multiple correlations between mulches, soils, and herbicide properties, and adsorption-desorption constants (Kf, Kd, Kfd) reflected the organic carbon (OC) content and/or dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content of the adsorbents as main variables controlling the adsorption and/or desorption of each herbicide. The statistic R2 revealed that >61 % of the variability in the adsorption-desorption constants could be explained by jointly considering the OC of mulches and soils and the hydrophobicity (for Kf) or water solubility of herbicides (for Kd or Kfd). The same trend observed for Kfd desorption constants as for Kf adsorption ones resulted in higher percentages of herbicide remaining adsorbed after desorption in amended soils (33 %-41 % of SMOC, 0 %-15 % of FORAM, and 2 %-17 % of TCM) than in mulches (< 10 %). The results reveal a higher efficiency of organic soil amendment than mulching as an agricultural practice for immobilising the herbicides studied when winter wheat mulch residues are used as a common adsorbent, and as a better strategy for avoiding groundwater contamination.

Ceftriaxone-Loaded Polymeric Microneedles, Dressings, and Microfibers for Wound Treatment.

The objective of this study was to create polymeric dressings, microfibers, and microneedles (MN) loaded with ceftriaxone, using PMVA (Poly (Methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid), Kollicoat® 100P, and Kollicoat® Protect as polymers to treat diabetic wounds and accelerate their recovery. These formulations were optimized through a series of experiments and were subsequently subjected to physicochemical tests. The results of the characterization of the dressings, microfibers, and microneedles (PMVA and 100P) were, respectively, a bioadhesion of 281.34, 720, 720, 2487, and 510.5 gf; a post-humectation bioadhesion of 186.34, 831.5, 2380, and 630.5 gf, tear strength of 2200, 1233, 1562, and 385 gf, erythema of 358, 8.4, 227, and 188; transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of 2.6, 4.7, 1.9, and 5.2 g/h·m2; hydration of 76.1, 89.9, 73.5, and 83.5%; pH of 4.85, 5.40, 5.85, and 4.85; and drug release (Peppas kinetics release) of n: 0.53, n: 0.62, n: 0.62, and n: 0.66). In vitro studies were performed on Franz-type diffusion cells and indicated flux of 57.1, 145.4, 718.7, and 2.7 µg/cm2; permeation coefficient (Kp) of 13.2, 19.56, 42, and 0.00015 cm2/h; and time lag (tL) of 6.29, 17.61, 27. 49, and 22.3 h, respectively, in wounded skin. There was no passage of ceftriaxone from dressings and microfibers to healthy skin, but that was not the case for PMVA/100P and Kollicoat® 100P microneedles, which exhibited flux of 194 and 0.4 µg/cm2, Kp of 11.3 and 0.00002 cm2/h, and tL of 5.2 and 9.7 h, respectively. The healing time of the formulations in vivo (tests carried out using diabetic Wistar rats) was under 14 days. In summary, polymeric dressings, microfibers, and microneedles loaded with ceftriaxone were developed. These formulations have the potential to address the challenges associated with chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot, improving the outcomes.