Effect of the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei JLM Strain Against Brucella abortus Strains in Ripened Cheese.

This study evaluated the antagonistic effect of the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei JLM strain isolated from aguamiel, against Brucella abortus RB51, S19, and 2308 strains, during the manufacture of soft-ripened cheese. First, the tolerance of Lc. paracasei JLM was tested with pH values and bile salt concentrations for 3 h to simulate digestive tract conditions. The antagonistic effect against B. abortus strains was evaluated through double-layer diffusion and agar well diffusion assays. In addition, the stability of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) was tested with the agar well diffusion method under different conditions of temperature, pH, and treatment with digestive enzymes. Finally, the antagonistic effect against B. abortus strains was observed during the manufacture of ripened cheese for 31 days at 4°C and 25°C using the Lc. paracasei JLM strain as starter culture. The results showed that the Lc. paracasei JLM strain remains viable after exposure to different pH values (from 3.00 to 7.00) and concentrations of bile salts (from 0.5% to 7%). Moreover, the results demonstrate that the growth of the three B. abortus strains was inhibited in both antagonism tests and that CFS maintained 86% activity after heat treatment at 100°C, 121°C, or enzymatic digestion (proteinase K, trypsin, chymotrypsin), but it was inactivated at pH levels above 6. Finally, Lc. paracasei JLM completely inhibited the growth of B. abortus in ripened cheese at 25°C from day 17 and showed greater inhibition on the B. abortus RB51 strain in the ripened cheese at 4°C, showing statistical differences for the B. abortus S19 and B. abortus 2308 strains. The current research concluded that the Lc. paracasei JLM strain has an antagonistic effect on B. abortus, enhancing the potential of its use in the future as a probiotic.

Corneal Ulcer due to Monkeypox Infection.

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of keratitis due to monkeypox infection. METHODS: A 45-year-old male presented with an epithelial corneal ulcer 20 days following initial diagnosis of monkeypox from genital and perioral lesions. PCR analysis of the epithelium confirmed the presence of human monkeypox virus. RESULTS: The patient was hospitalized, and ganciclovir gel, as well as povidone iodine 0.6% and moxifloxacin eyedrops were prescribed. Oral tecovirimat 600 mg was administered during 14 days. A therapeutic contact lens was used. Twenty days after the initial diagnosis of keratitis, the corneal defect closed leaving a faint subepithelial haze, and visual acuity was 0.8. CONCLUSIONS: This is an uncommon case report of epithelial keratitis due to human monkeypox. PCR positivity for monkeypox in the corneal epithelium confirmed the presence of viral material in the cornea.

Survival of Brucella abortus RB51 and S19 Vaccine Strains in Fresh and Ripened Cheeses.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the consumption of contaminated raw milk and dairy products. This study aims to compare survival rates of Brucella abortus RB51 and S19 vaccine strains to that of virulent B. abortus 2308 strain during the manufacture of fresh and ripened cheeses. To do this, we inoculated fresh pasteurized milk with B. abortus RB51, S19, or 2308 at a 6 × 108 colony-forming unit per milliliter concentration during the cheese making process. Cheese was manufactured at room temperature, then, fresh cheeses were conserved at either 4°C or 25°C for 7 days, while ripened cheeses were conserved for 31 days at the same temperatures. We measured B. abortus survival and pH values during different stages of the process. Our results confirm that all three strains can maintain viable cells in both types of cheeses throughout the process. Survival of B. abortus RB51 was 10 times lower than was the survival of the B. abortus S19 and B. abortus 2308 strains in both fresh and ripened cheeses. Our results also suggest that both temperature and pH can condition Brucella survival. In conclusion, B. abortus RB51 and S19 vaccine strains can survive throughout the manufacture and conservation processes of both fresh and ripened cheeses. In turn, this implies a potential health risk if cheeses contaminated with these strains were to be consumed.

Identification and quantification of chemical reactions in a coastal aquifer to assess submarine groundwater discharge composition.

In coastal aquifers, two opposite but complementary processes occur: Seawater intrusion (SWI), which may salinize heavily exploited aquifers, and Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) which transports oligo-elements to the sea. Aquifers are expected to be chemically reactive, both because they provide abundant surfaces to catalyze reactions and the mixing of very different Fresh Water (FW) and Sea Water (SW) promote numerous reactions. Characterizing and quantifying these reactions is essential to assess the quality and composition of both aquifer water, and SGD. Indeed, sampling SGD is difficult, so its composition is usually uncertain. We propose a reactive end-member mixing analysis (rEMMA) methodology based on principal component analysis (PCA) to (i) identify the sources of water and possible reactions occurring in the aquifer and (ii) quantify mixing ratios and the extent of chemical reactions. We applied rEMMA to the Argentona coastal aquifer located North of Barcelona that contains fluvial sediments of granitic origin and overlies weathered granite. The identification of end members (FW and SW) and the spatial distribution of their mixing ratios illustrate the application procedure. The extent of reactions and their spatial distribution allow us to distinguish reactions that occur as a result of mixing from those caused by sediment disequilibrium, which are relevant to recirculated saltwater SGD. The most important reaction is cation exchange, especially between Ca and Na, which promotes other reactions such as Gypsum and Fluorite precipitation. Iron and Manganese are mobilized in the SW portion but oxidized and precipitated in the mixing zone, so that Fe (up to 15 µEq/L) and Mn (up to 10 µEq/L) discharge is restricted to SW SGD. Nitrate is reduced in the mixing zone. The actual reaction amounts are site-specific, but the processes are not, which leads us to conjecture the importance of these reactions to understand the SGD discharge elsewhere.

Clinical evaluation of meibomian gland dysfunction in patients with keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association of keratoconus (KC) with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and to describe the epidemiological characteristics of MGD in this disease. METHODS: In this observational study, 120 KC patients seen in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela and 87 controls were analyzed. The Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was administered and several DED tests and an evaluation of the meibomian glands and lid margin were performed. MGD signs and DED tests were compared between the groups. Symptoms were further analyzed in patients and controls with and without MGD. RESULTS: KC was significantly associated with MGD after adjusting for age and sex [adjusted odds ratio (ORa), 2.40]. The frequency of MGD in KC patients [59 (49.2%) KC patients and 25 (28.7%) controls had MGD] correlated with the severity of KC (r = 0.206) (P = 0.020). Mean OSDI score in KC patients with and without MGD was 31.1 ± 24.1 and 35.2 ± 26.0 (P = 0.326), and 17.2 ± 22.7 and 13.3 ± 14.1 in controls with and without it (P = 0.366). The most common MGD signs coincided in both groups. Staining with fluorescein (P = 0.000) and lissamine green (P = 0.019) was higher in KC patients, but no differences were detected with TBUT (P = 0.116) or the Schirmer test (P = 0.637). Hypersecretory MGD was the most prevalent variant in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: MGD and DED are common in KC patients. MGD correlates with the severity of KC and is indistinguishable from MGD in patients without KC. No association was found with symptoms. Patients with KC should be screened for MGD because of its possible clinical implications. Further research is needed to clarify the role of MGD in KC patients.

Iris-claw intraocular lens for aphakia: Can location influence the final outcomes?

PURPOSE: To describe the demographic data, evaluate the long-term refractive and anatomical outcomes, and report the incidence of complications of anterior iris (prepupillary) and posterior iris (retropupillary) fixation of the Artisan aphakia iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL). SETTING: Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Patients who had iris-claw IOL implantation were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (prepupillary) and Group 2 (retropupillary). The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), anatomical changes, endothelial cell count (ECC), presence of cystoid macular edema (CME), and operative and postoperative complications were determined. RESULTS: The study comprised 95 eyes of 95 patients. Fifty-seven patients had prepupillary implantation and 38 patients had retropupillary implantation. Indications for surgery were IOL luxation or subluxation (n = 24), lens luxation or subluxation (n = 17), trauma (n = 15), aphakia (n = 30), and other (n = 9). The CDVA improved significantly in both groups and there were no differences between them. A significant ECC reduction was observed in both groups, with no differences between them. The incidence of CME was 16.1% (21.8% in the prepupillary group and 7.9% in the retropupillary group at 3 months and 8 months, respectively), although the difference was not statistically significant. Other postoperative complications were rare and no differences were found between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of location, the iris-claw IOL provided good visual outcomes with few complications. However, prepupillary IOL implantation seemed to contribute to greater endothelial cell loss and earlier onset of CME.

Preclinical characterization and clinical evaluation of tacrolimus eye drops.

Severe allergic ocular diseases as atopic keratoconjunctivitis can induce corneal damage due to inflammatory substances released from giant papillae. Tacrolimus eye drops are one of the current therapeutic alternatives for its treatment. This work is aimed at developing and characterizing a 0.03% tacrolimus ophthalmic formulation, which was introduced in three types of vehicles (BBS, PVA and Hyaluronic Acid). For this, we have performed in vitro (stability studies) and in vivo assays (corneal permanence time measured directly by Positron Emission Tomography) of three potential formulations. Next, the best formulation was selected, and its toxicological profile and clinical effectiveness have been evaluated. The biopermanence studies (direct measurements and PET/CT) showed that the formulations with PVA and Hyaluronic Acid present more retention time on the ocular surface of rats than PBS. From the stability study, we have determined that tacrolimus with PVA in cold storage is the best option. Tacrolimus with PVA has shown lower cytotoxicity than cyclosporine at early times. On the other hand, the pilot study performed has shown significant improvements in patients, with no noticeable adverse reactions. Based on stability, biopermanence, safety and clinical effectiveness studies, we concluded that tacrolimus-PVA eye drops are a suitable candidate for its clinical application in inflammatory ophthalmology diseases.