Influenza A virus infection alters the resistance profile of gut microbiota to clinically relevant antibiotics.

IMPORTANCE: Influenza virus infection affects both lung and intestinal bacterial community composition. Most of the published analyses focus on the characterization of the microbiota composition changes. Here we assess functional alterations of gut microbiota such as nutrient and antibiotic resistance changes during an acute respiratory tract infection. Upon influenza A virus (IAV) infection, cecal microbiota drops accompanied by a decrease in the ability to metabolize some common nutrients under aerobic conditions. At the same time, the cecal community presents an increase in resistance against clinically relevant antibiotics, particularly cephalosporins. Functional characterization of complex communities presents an additional and necessary element of analysis that nowadays is mainly limited to taxonomic description. The consequences of these functional alterations could affect treatment strategies, especially in multimicrobial infections.

Evaluation of the oxidative stress alleviation in Lupinus albus var. orden Dorado by the inoculation of four plant growth-promoting bacteria and their mixtures in mercury-polluted soils.

Mercury (Hg) pollution is a serious environmental and public health problem. Hg has the ability to biomagnify through the trophic chain and generate various pathologies in humans. The exposure of plants to Hg affects normal plant growth and its stress levels, producing oxidative cell damage. Root inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can help reduce the absorption of Hg, minimizing the harmful effects of this metal in the plant. This study evaluates the phytoprotective capacity of four bacterial strains selected for their PGPB capabilities, quantified by the calculation of the biomercuroremediator suitability index (IIBMR), and their consortia, in the Lupinus albus var. orden Dorado. The oxidative stress modulating capacity in the inoculated plant was analyzed by measuring the activity of the enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR). In turn, the phytoprotective capacity of these PGPBs against the bioaccumulation of Hg was studied in plants grown in soils highly contaminated by Hg vs. soils in the absence of Hg contamination. The results of the oxidative stress alleviation and Hg bioaccumulation were compared with the biometric data of Lupinus albus var. orden Dorado previously obtained under the same soil conditions of Hg concentration. The results show that the biological behavior of plants (biometrics, bioaccumulation of Hg, and activity of regulatory enzymes of reactive oxygen species [ROS]) is significantly improved by the inoculation of strains B1 (Pseudomonas moraviensis) and B2 (Pseudomonas baetica), as well as their corresponding consortium (CS5). In light of the conclusions of this work, the use of these strains, as well as their consortium, is postulated as good candidates for their subsequent use in phytostimulation and phytoprotection processes in areas contaminated with Hg.

Comparative Metagenomic Study of Rhizospheric and Bulk Mercury-Contaminated Soils in the Mining District of Almadén.

Soil contamination by heavy metals, particularly mercury (Hg), is a problem that can seriously affect the environment, animals, and human health. Hg has the capacity to biomagnify in the food chain. That fact can lead to pathologies, of those which affect the central nervous system being the most severe. It is convenient to know the biological environmental indicators that alert of the effects of Hg contamination as well as the biological mechanisms that can help in its remediation. To contribute to this knowledge, this study conducted comparative analysis by the use of Shotgun metagenomics of the microbial communities in rhizospheric soils and bulk soil of the mining region of Almadén (Ciudad Real, Spain), one of the most affected areas by Hg in the world The sequences obtained was analyzed with MetaPhlAn2 tool and SUPER-FOCUS. The most abundant taxa in the taxonomic analysis in bulk soil were those of Actinobateria and Alphaproteobacteria. On the contrary, in the rhizospheric soil microorganisms belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria were abundant, evidencing that roots have a selective effect on the rhizospheric communities. In order to analyze possible indicators of biological contamination, a functional potential analysis was performed. The results point to a co-selection of the mechanisms of resistance to Hg and the mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics or other toxic compounds in environments contaminated by Hg. Likewise, the finding of antibiotic resistance mechanisms typical of the human clinic, such as resistance to beta-lactams and glycopeptics (vancomycin), suggests that these environments can behave as reservoirs. The sequences involved in Hg resistance (operon mer and efflux pumps) have a similar abundance in both soil types. However, the response to abiotic stress (salinity, desiccation, and contaminants) is more prevalent in rhizospheric soil. Finally, sequences involved in nitrogen fixation and metabolism and plant growth promotion (PGP genes) were identified, with higher relative abundances in rhizospheric soils. These findings can be the starting point for the targeted search for microorganisms suitable for further use in bioremediation processes in Hg-contaminated environments.

[Polymorphism of mucA and fpvA genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from cystic fibrosis patients: co-existence of genetically different variants]. / Polimorfismo de los genes mucA y fpvA en Pseudomonas aeruginosa de pacientes con fibrosis quística: coexistencia de variantes genéticas en el mismo paciente.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is able to colonize the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients (CF) in an adaptive process that results in the selection of a dominant strain through a process of genetic variation. METHODS: One hundred and twenty tree isolates of P. aeruginosa were sequentially recovered from 6 CF patients during the routine follow-up or exacerbations over periods of 2 to 12 years in the Ramon y Cajal University Hospital (Madrid, Spain). Another 13 isolates were obtained from a single CF patient in a short-term study. They were analysed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing of mucA and fpvA genes, which code for the alginate biosynthesis regulator and a pyoverdin receptor, respectively, and their antibiotic susceptibility was studied by microdilution. RESULTS: A dominant colonising strain was found in each patient based on the RFLP profile. The polymorphisms of mucA and fpvA genes correlated well with these profiles, but suggested a relationship between strains isolated from two brothers, not inferred by RFLP. Stop codon mutations in mucA were unique to each dominant strain, indicating the adaptive process suffered. The alternate detection of the same mucA and/or fpvA genotypic variants suggested the coexistence of several subpopulations. This hypothesis was confirmed in a prospective study in which 6 variants were isolated in 7 days from the same patient. CONCLUSIONS: Genotypic variants of the P. aeruginosa dominant strains can coexist in the chronic colonization in CF patients. These variants can be undetected by RFLP and they might present variable antibiotic susceptibility.

Exploring the Potential of Statistical Modeling to Retrieve the Cloud Base Height from Geostationary Satellites: Applications to the ABI Sensor on Board of the GOES-R Satellite Series.

Although cloud base height is a relevant variable for many applications, including aviation, it is not routinely monitored by current geostationary satellites. This is probably a consequence of the difficulty of providing reliable estimations of the cloud base height from visible and infrared radiances from current imagers. We hypothesize that existing algorithms suffer from the accumulation of errors from upstream retrievals necessary to estimate the cloud base height, and that this hampers higher predictability in the retrievals to be achieved. To test this hypothesis, we trained a statistical model based on the random forest algorithm to retrieve the cloud base height, using as predictors the radiances from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-16) and variables from a numerical weather prediction model. The predictand data consisted of cloud base height observations recorded at meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) stations over an extended region covering the contiguous USA. Our results indicate the potential of the proposed methodology. In particular, the performance of the cloud base height retrievals appears to be superior to the state-of-the-science algorithms, which suffer from the accumulation of errors from upstream retrievals. We also find a direct relationship between the errors and the mean cloud base height predicted over the region, which allowed us to obtain estimations of both the cloud base height and its error.

Bio-Mercury Remediation Suitability Index: A Novel Proposal That Compiles the PGPR Features of Bacterial Strains and Its Potential Use in Phytoremediation.

Soil pollution from heavy metals, especially mercury, is an environmental problem for human health. Biological approaches offer interesting tools, which necessarily involve the selection of organisms capable of transforming the environment via bioremediation. To evaluate the potential use of microorganisms in phytorhizoremediation, bacterial strains were isolated from rhizospheric and bulk soil under conditions of chronic natural mercury, which were identified and characterized by studying the following: (i) their plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) activities; and (ii) their maximum bactericide concentration of mercury. Information regarding auxin production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore synthesis and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACCd) capacity of the isolates was compiled in order to select the strains that fit potential biotechnological use. To achieve this objective, the present work proposes the Bio-Mercury Remediation Suitability Index (BMR-SI), which reflects the integral behavior of the strains for heavy metal polluted soil bioremediation. Only those strains that rigorously fulfilled all of the established criteria were selected for further assays.

Selection of Mercury-Resistant PGPR Strains Using the BMRSI for Bioremediation Purposes.

Heavy metal pollution of soil, particularly by mercury (Hg), is a problem that can seriously affect the environment and human health. For this reason, it is necessary to take steps to remediate these environments, prevent potential adverse effects, and restore these areas for subsequent use in agriculture, industry, ranching, and forestry. The present study has selected 40 bacterial strains from rhizosphere and bulk soil that grow naturally in high Hg-contaminated soils from the Almadén mining district in Ciudad Real, Spain. With the objective of evaluating the potential use of these strains in phyto-rhizoremediation, an evaluation and statistical analysis of their PGPR (Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) activity at different levels of Hg was carried out as the first condition of selection for their potential use in bioremediation. In addition, a Hg MBC (Maximum Bactericidal Concentration) was performed with the aim of selecting the strains with high Hg tolerance. Finally, strains with potential biotechnological use have been proposed according to the Bio-Mercury Remediation Suitability Index (BMRSI) criteria, which consider indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, acid 1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic deaminase (ACCd) activity, phosphates solubilization, and siderophore production measured in the presence of Hg, as well as its MBC to Hg. The strains selected for further in vivo and in situ processes must reach at least an MBC (Hg) > 100 µg/mL and BMRSI ≥ 6.5.

Mercury and Antibiotic Resistance Co-Selection in Bacillus sp. Isolates from the Almadén Mining District.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) in the environment is of great global concern and a threat to public health. Soil bacteria, including Bacillus spp., could act as recipients and reservoirs of AR genes of clinical, livestock, or agricultural origin. These genes can be shared between bacteria, some of which could be potentially human pathogens. This process can be favored in conditions of abiotic stress, such as heavy metal contamination. The Almadén mining district (Ciudad Real, Spain) is one of the environments with the highest mercury (Hg) contamination worldwide. The link between heavy metal contamination and increased AR in environmental bacteria seems clear, due to co-resistance and co-selection phenomena. In the present study, 53 strains were isolated from rhizospheric and bulk soil samples in Almadén. AR was tested using Vitek® 2 and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained and interpreted based on the criteria of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Based on the resistance profiles, five different antibiotypes were established. The Hg minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of each strain was obtained using the plating method with increasing concentrations of HgCl2. A total of 72% of Bacillus spp. showed resistance to two or more commonly used antibiotics. A total of 38 isolates expressed AR to cephalosporins. Finally, the environmental co-selection of AR to cephalosporins and tetracyclines by selective pressure of Hg has been statistically demonstrated.

Assessment of the GOES-16 Clear Sky Mask Product over the Contiguous USA Using CALIPSO Retrievals.

Cloud initialization is a challenge in numerical weather prediction. Probably the most relevant observations for this task come from geostationary satellites. These satellites provide the cloud mask with high spatio-temporal resolution and low latencies. The low latency is an attractive option for nowcasting systems such as the solar irradiance nowcasting model MAD-WRF. In this study we examine the potential of using the cloud mask from the GOES-16 satellite over the contiguous U.S. for this particular application. With this aim, the GOES-16 cloud mask product is compared against CALIPSO retrievals during a two year period. Both the GOES-16 data and the CALIPSO retrievals are interpolated to a grid that covers the contiguous U.S. at 9 km of horizontal grid spacing that is being used in MAD-WRF nowcasts. Results indicate a probability of detection, or accuracy, of all sky conditions of 86.0%. However, the accuracy is higher for cloud detections, 90.9% than for clear sky detections 74.8%. The lower performance of clear sky retrievals is a result of missdetections during daytime. This is especially clear for summer, and for regions to the north of parallel 36 during winter. However, regions to the south of parallel 36 show acceptable performance during both daytime and nighttime. It is over these regions wherein the cloud mask product should show its largest potential to enhance the cloud initialization in the MAD-WRF model.

Chronic colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa of patients with obstructive lung diseases: cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is isolated in sputum cultures from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and adults with bronchiectasis (BS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but it is not well known if the characteristics of colonization in these latter patients are similar to those with CF. We examined 125 P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from 31 patients suffering from these diseases by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and genotyping of mucA and fpvA genes. The pattern of colonization, with dominance of a clonal strain and incidence of mucoid phenotypes, was similar in every group of patients; however, in some CF and BS patients, we detected the replacement or coexistence of 2 main clones. The main differences were found in the nucleotide position of less common mucA mutations, other than mucA22, and in the predominance of the different types of the pyoverdine receptor. Our results support a similar colonization pattern by P. aeruginosa in the different obstructive pulmonary diseases.

[Effect of cardiovascular risk factors on long-term morbidity and mortality following acute myocardial infarction]. / Efecto de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular sobre la morbimortalidad a largo plazo después de un infarto agudo de miocardio.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Generally, cardiovascular risk factors are poorly controlled after myocardial infarction. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of these risk factors on long-term morbidity and mortality in patients experiencing a myocardial infarction. METHODS: In total, 655 acute myocardial infarction survivors recorded in the IBERICA database for the Spanish province of Albacete were followed up. Provincial healthcare center databases and the regional death registry were consulted, and semistructured interviews were carried out. Bivariate and multivariate descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 5.5 years. At the end of the study, 74% of patients had hypertension or hypercholesterolemia, 39% had diabetes, 36% were obese, 13% smoked, and 1% were alcoholics. Overall, 48% of patients experienced a cardiovascular event. Uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia was found to be a risk factor for angina (odds ratio [OR]=2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-5.1), and uncontrolled diabetes was a risk factor for reinfarction (OR=3.5, 95% CI, 1.6-7.6) and stroke (OR=10.6, 95% CI, 3.6-31.2), both of which occurred earlier in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. In total, 115 (18%) patients died, with more than 50% of deaths being due to cardiovascular causes. Uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes were the most important risk factors for both overall and early mortality, whereas controlled hypercholesterolemia appeared to be a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients who have experienced a myocardial infarction is very high. Control of these risk factors influences both cardiovascular events and long-term mortality.