A 3-D interactive microbiology laboratory via virtual reality for enhancing practical skills.

Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories are a new pedagogical approach to support psychomotor skills development in undergraduate programmes to achieve practical competency. VR laboratories are successfully used to carry out virtual experiments in science courses and for clinical skills training in professional courses. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a VR-based microbiology laboratory on Head-Mounted Display (HMD) for undergraduate students. Student and faculty perceptions and expectations were collected to incorporate into the laboratory design. An interactive 3-dimensional VR laboratory with a 360° view was developed simulating our physical laboratory setup. The laboratory environment was created using Unity with the (created) necessary assets and 3D models. The virtual laboratory was designed to replicate the physical laboratory environment as suggested by the students and faculty. In this VR laboratory, six microbiology experiments on Gram staining, bacterial streaking, bacterial motility, catalase test, oxidase test and biochemical tests were placed on the virtual platform. First-year biomedical science students were recruited to evaluate the VR laboratory. Students' perception of the virtual laboratory was positive and encouraging. About 70% of the students expressed they felt safe using the VR laboratory and that it was engaging. They felt that the VR laboratory provided an immersive learning experience. They appreciated that they could repeat each experiment multiple times without worrying about mistakes or mishaps. They could personalise their learning by concentrating on the specific experiments. Our in-house VR-based microbiology laboratory was later extended to other health professions programmes teaching microbiology.

Using "Adopt a Bacterium" as an e-learning tool for simultaneously teaching microbiology to different health-related university courses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for education, particularly in undergraduate teaching. In this study, we report on the experience of how a private university successfully addressed this challenge through an active methodology applied to a microbiology discipline offered remotely to students from various health-related courses (veterinary, physiotherapy, nursing, biomedicine, and nutrition). Remote teaching was combined with the "Adopt a Bacterium" methodology, implemented for the first time on Google Sites. The distance learning activity notably improved student participation in microbiology discussions, both through word cloud analysis and the richness of discourse measured by the Shannon index. Furthermore, feedback from students about the e-learning approach was highly positive, indicating its effectiveness in motivating and involving students in the learning process. The results also demonstrate that despite being offered simultaneously to students, the methodology allowed for the acquisition of specialized knowledge within each course and sparked student interest in various aspects of microbiology. In conclusion, the remote "Adopt a Bacterium" methodology facilitated knowledge sharing among undergraduate students from different health-related courses and represented a valuable resource in distance microbiology education.

A concept for international societally relevant microbiology education and microbiology knowledge promulgation in society.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Microbes are all pervasive in their distribution and influence on the functioning and well-being of humans, life in general and the planet. Microbially-based technologies contribute hugely to the supply of important goods and services we depend upon, such as the provision of food, medicines and clean water. They also offer mechanisms and strategies to mitigate and solve a wide range of problems and crises facing humanity at all levels, including those encapsulated in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations. For example, microbial technologies can contribute in multiple ways to decarbonisation and hence confronting global warming, provide sanitation and clean water to the billions of people lacking them, improve soil fertility and hence food production and develop vaccines and other medicines to reduce and in some cases eliminate deadly infections. They are the foundation of biotechnology, an increasingly important and growing business sector and source of employment, and the centre of the bioeconomy, Green Deal, etc. But, because microbes are largely invisible, they are not familiar to most people, so opportunities they offer to effectively prevent and solve problems are often missed by decision-makers, with the negative consequences this entrains. To correct this lack of vital knowledge, the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative-the IMiLI-is recruiting from the global microbiology community and making freely available, teaching resources for a curriculum in societally relevant microbiology that can be used at all levels of learning. Its goal is the development of a society that is literate in relevant microbiology and, as a consequence, able to take full advantage of the potential of microbes and minimise the consequences of their negative activities. In addition to teaching about microbes, almost every lesson discusses the influence they have on sustainability and the SDGs and their ability to solve pressing problems of societal inequalities. The curriculum thus teaches about sustainability, societal needs and global citizenship. The lessons also reveal the impacts microbes and their activities have on our daily lives at the personal, family, community, national and global levels and their relevance for decisions at all levels. And, because effective, evidence-based decisions require not only relevant information but also critical and systems thinking, the resources also teach about these key generic aspects of deliberation. The IMiLI teaching resources are learner-centric, not academic microbiology-centric and deal with the microbiology of everyday issues. These span topics as diverse as owning and caring for a companion animal, the vast range of everyday foods that are produced via microbial processes, impressive geological formations created by microbes, childhood illnesses and how they are managed and how to reduce waste and pollution. They also leverage the exceptional excitement of exploration and discovery that typifies much progress in microbiology to capture the interest, inspire and motivate educators and learners alike. The IMiLI is establishing Regional Centres to translate the teaching resources into regional languages and adapt them to regional cultures, and to promote their use and assist educators employing them. Two of these are now operational. The Regional Centres constitute the interface between resource creators and educators-learners. As such, they will collect and analyse feedback from the end-users and transmit this to the resource creators so that teaching materials can be improved and refined, and new resources added in response to demand: educators and learners will thereby be directly involved in evolution of the teaching resources. The interactions between educators-learners and resource creators mediated by the Regional Centres will establish dynamic and synergistic relationships-a global societally relevant microbiology education ecosystem-in which creators also become learners, teaching resources are optimised and all players/stakeholders are empowered and their motivation increased. The IMiLI concept thus embraces the principle of teaching societally relevant microbiology embedded in the wider context of societal, biosphere and planetary needs, inequalities, the range of crises that confront us and the need for improved decisioning, which should ultimately lead to better citizenship and a humanity that is more sustainable and resilient. ABSTRACT: The biosphere of planet Earth is a microbial world: a vast reactor of countless microbially driven chemical transformations and energy transfers that push and pull many planetary geochemical processes, including the cycling of the elements of life, mitigate or amplify climate change (e.g., Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019, 17, 569) and impact the well-being and activities of all organisms, including humans. Microbes are both our ancestors and creators of the planetary chemistry that allowed us to evolve (e.g., Life's engines: How microbes made earth habitable, 2023). To understand how the biosphere functions, how humans can influence its development and live more sustainably with the other organisms sharing it, we need to understand the microbes. In a recent editorial (Environmental Microbiology, 2019, 21, 1513), we advocated for improved microbiology literacy in society. Our concept of microbiology literacy is not based on knowledge of the academic subject of microbiology, with its multitude of component topics, plus the growing number of additional topics from other disciplines that become vitally important elements of current microbiology. Rather it is focused on microbial activities that impact us-individuals/communities/nations/the human world-and the biosphere and that are key to reaching informed decisions on a multitude of issues that regularly confront us, ranging from personal issues to crises of global importance. In other words, it is knowledge and understanding essential for adulthood and the transition to it, knowledge and understanding that must be acquired early in life in school. The 2019 Editorial marked the launch of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative, the IMiLI. HERE, WE PRESENT: our concept of how microbiology literacy may be achieved and the rationale underpinning it; the type of teaching resources being created to realise the concept and the framing of microbial activities treated in these resources in the context of sustainability, societal needs and responsibilities and decision-making; and the key role of Regional Centres that will translate the teaching resources into local languages, adapt them according to local cultural needs, interface with regional educators and develop and serve as hubs of microbiology literacy education networks. The topics featuring in teaching resources are learner-centric and have been selected for their inherent relevance, interest and ability to excite and engage. Importantly, the resources coherently integrate and emphasise the overarching issues of sustainability, stewardship and critical thinking and the pervasive interdependencies of processes. More broadly, the concept emphasises how the multifarious applications of microbial activities can be leveraged to promote human/animal, plant, environmental and planetary health, improve social equity, alleviate humanitarian deficits and causes of conflicts among peoples and increase understanding between peoples (Microbial Biotechnology, 2023, 16(6), 1091-1111). Importantly, although the primary target of the freely available (CC BY-NC 4.0) IMiLI teaching resources is schoolchildren and their educators, they and the teaching philosophy are intended for all ages, abilities and cultural spectra of learners worldwide: in university education, lifelong learning, curiosity-driven, web-based knowledge acquisition and public outreach. The IMiLI teaching resources aim to promote development of a global microbiology education ecosystem that democratises microbiology knowledge.

Louis Pasteur, a child of the Jura, a man for the world.

How did Louis Pasteur, born in a small town in the Jura-Dole, still little known to the world today, become a man of global recognition and fame? The answer to this question is guided by two pivotal considerations. First is Pasteur's relationship to the representation of reality. This relationship was seeded and steadily developed since his juvenile years through practicing different forms of artistic expression, the most famous of which were subtle pastels portraying Pasteur's parents and neighbors. This genuine attraction towards art gradually became «scientificized¼ at the same time, when new means of reproducing the reality were invented, such as photography. The second consideration, critical to understand the phenomenon of Pasteur's celebrity, is a strong linkage of his research with nature-based agricultural production. Here again, deeply rooted in his youth and home environment, permeated with the taste of wine and the smell of tanned leather, Pasteur's interests necessitated the processes of communication, not only at the scientific level, but also on a daily life basis, with numerous «social actors¼ at play (ferments, silkworms etc.). Throughout his work, Pasteur had to provide himself with the means to set up these interdisciplinarity and communication. The final result was the Pasteur Institute, or rather the Pasteur Institutes and the global Pasteur network.

Programas de optimización del uso de antimicrobianos en los servicios de urgencias españoles: Estudio PROA-URG / Antibiotic stewardship programs in the Spanish emergency services: PROA-URG Study

Introducción: Los programas de optimización de antimicrobianos (PROA) son herramientas clave en la adecuación de estos fármacos. La información disponible sobre la aplicación e indicadores para monitorizar estos programas en urgencias es limitada. El objetivo del estudio es conocer el grado de implantación de programas PROA en los servicios de urgencias, así como el uso de antimicrobianos en estas unidades. Material y métodos. Estudio multicéntrico retrospectivo. Se envió una invitación a todos los participantes del grupo de trabajo de farmacéuticos de urgencias REDFASTER-SEFH. Se utilizó un cuestionario de 21 ítems, contestado por un equipo formado por especialistas en los servicios de farmacia hospitalaria, urgencias, enfermedades infecciosas y microbiología. Resultados. 18 hospitales completaron la encuesta. Catorce (77,8%) disponían de un responsable PROA en la unidad. El valor de DDD por 1000 ingresos osciló entre 36,5 y 400,5 (mediana 100,4 [RIQ:57,2-157,3]). El grupo de carbapenémicos y macrólidos presentó una amplia variabilidad. Únicamente seis (33,3%) hospitales disponían de informe anual de resistencias específico para urocultivos y hemocultivos en urgencias. El porcentaje de multirresistentes en urocultivos fue del 12,5% y en hemocultivos del 12,2%. El porcentaje de adecuación en bacteremia de acuerdo con el resultado del hemocultivo fue del 81,0% (RIQ:74,6-85,0%), y en infección urinaria del 78,0% (RIQ:71,5-88,0%). Conclusiones. Pese a la existencia de responsables PROA, actividades formativas y guías de tratamiento en urgencias, la información sobre el uso de antimicrobianos y el perfil de resistencias en estas unidades es limitado. Futuras actividades han de ir encaminadas a mejorar la información sobre los resultados PROA propios para estas unidades. (AU)

Introduction: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) have become a key tool in the adaptation of these drugs to the health system. The information available on the application and indicators used in these programs in emergency departments is scarce. The objective of this study is to know theextent of ASP implementation in the emergency departments, as well as the use of antimicrobials in these units. Material and methods. Multicenter retrospective study. An invitation was sent to all participants of the REDFASTER-SEFH emergency pharmacist working group. A questionnaire was used consisting of 21 items, answered by a team made up of a pharmacist, emergency room specialist, infectious disease specialist and microbiologist. Results. Eighteen hospitals completed the survey. Fourteen (77.8%) had an ASP manager. The DDD value per 1000 admissions ranged between 36.5 and 400.5 (median: 100.4 [IQR:57.2-157.3]). Both carbapenem and macrolide group presented wide variability in use. Six (33.3%) hospitals had an annual report on the specific resistance profile for urine and blood cultures. The percentage of multi-drug resistant strains in urine cultures was 12.5% and in blood cultures 12.2%. The percentage of adequacy in the bacteremia treatment was 81.0% (IQR:74.6-85.0%), while in urinary tract infections was 78.0% (IQR:71.5-88.0). Conclusions: Despite the existence of ASP members in emergency services, as well as the training activity and local guidelines is common. knowledge of the use of antimicrobials and resistances is limited. Future activities must be aimed at improving information about the ASP results in these units. (AU)

Is it in their eyes? Correlation between microorganisms isolated from bronchial aspirates and conjunctival swabs in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit / ¿Está en sus ojos? Correlación entre microorganismos aislados de aspirados bronquiales e hisopos conjuntivales en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos

Objectives. Our observational, retrospective study aimed to determine the correlation between bacteria isolated from bronchial aspirates of pediatric ICU patients (PICU) with respiratory infections and those obtained from conjunctival swabs of the same patients exhibiting clinical conjunctivitis. Material and methods. Throughout the period from 2015 to 2022, we reviewed all clinically significant bronchial aspirates (≥105 CFU/mL) and positive conjunctival swabs obtained from PICU patients. These records were retrieved from the microbiology database, cross-referencing the data to identify patients who tested positive for both during the same clinical episode. Results. The median age of the patients was 5 months (interquartile range: 1-7). Among the cohort, twenty-one patients exhibited positivity in both bronchial aspirate and conjunctival swab samples, showcasing a microbial match in 85.71% of cases (18 out of 21). The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Haemophilus influenzae (55.6%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.3%), Klebsiella aerogenes (9.5%), and Escherichia coli, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Enterobacter cloacae, each accounting for 4.8% of the isolates. Conclusions. Our study demonstrates a strong concordance between the isolated microorganisms from both samples in patients presenting clear symptoms of clinical conjunctivitis. These findings provide a basis for future prospective studies that may leverage conjunctival swabs as a predictive tool for identifying microorganisms involved in respiratory infections. (AU)

Objetivos. Nuestro estudio observacional y retrospectivo tuvo como objetivo determinar la correlación entre las bacterias aisladas de aspirados bronquiales de pacientes de UCI pediátrica (UCIP) con infecciones respiratorias y las obtenidas de hisopos conjuntivales de los mismos pacientes que presentaban conjuntivitis clínica. Material y métodos. A lo largo del periodo comprendido entre 2015 y 2022, se revisaron todos los aspirados bronquiales clínicamente significativos (≥105 UFC/mL) y los hisopos conjuntivalespositivos obtenidos de pacientes de UCIP. Estos registros se recuperaron de la base de datos de microbiología, cruzando los datos para identificar a los pacientes que dieron positivo en ambos durante el mismo episodio clínico. Resultados. La mediana de edad de los pacientes fue de 5 meses (rango intercuartílico: 1-7). Entre la cohorte, veintiún pacientes presentaron positividad tanto en las muestras de aspirado bronquial como en las de hisopo conjuntival, mostrando una coincidencia microbiana en el 85,71% de los casos (18 de 21). Los microorganismos más frecuentemente aislados fueron Haemophilus influenzae (55,6%), seguido de Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14,3%), Klebsiella aerogenes (9,5%) y Escherichia coli, Stenotrophomonas maltophiliay Enterobacter cloacae, cada uno de los cuales representó el 4,8% de los aislamientos. Conclusiones. Nuestro estudio demuestra una fuerte concordancia entre los microorganismos aislados de ambas muestras en pacientes que presentan síntomas claros de conjuntivitis clínica. Estos hallazgos proporcionan una base para futuros estudios prospectivos que podrían aprovechar los hisopos conjuntivales como herramienta predictiva para identificar microorganismos implicados en infecciones respiratorias. (AU)

Progresión temporal de la distribución de los serotipos de Streptococcus pneumoniae productores de enfermedad neumocócica invasiva en Galicia (España) y su relación con la resistencia a antibióticos (periodo 2011-2021) / Temporal progression of the distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in Galicia (Spain) and its relationship with resistance to antibiotics (period 2011-2021)

Introducción: Streptococcus pneumoniae causa enfermedades graves en la población susceptible. La vacuna neumocócica conjugada (PCV) 13-valente (PCV13) se incluyó en el calendario infantil en 2011. Este estudio analiza la evolución de los serotipos de neumococo y de sus resistencias tras la PCV13. Métodos: Se incluyeron los neumococos serotipados en Galicia en 2011-2021. Se estudió la sensibilidad antibiótica siguiendo criterios EUCAST. Se analizaron los datos en 3 subperíodos: inicial (2011-2013), medio (2014-2017) y final (2018-2021). Se calcularon las prevalencias de los serotipos y el porcentaje de resistencia a los antibióticos más representativos. Resultados: Se incluyeron 2.869 aislados. Inicialmente el 42,7% presentaba tipos capsulares incluidos en la PCV13, frente al 15,4% al final. Los incluidos en la PCV20 y no en la PCV13 y PCV15 fueron el 12,5% inicialmente y el 41,3% al final. El 26,4% de los serotipos a lo largo del estudio no estaban incluidos en ninguna vacuna. La prevalencia del serotipo 8 se multiplicó casi por 8 y la del 12F se triplicó. El serotipo 19A fue el más resistente inicialmente. La resistencia de los serotipos 11A y 15A aumentó a lo largo del estudio. Conclusiones: La introducción de la PCV13 en la población infantil determinó un cambio en los serotipos de neumococo hacia los incluidos en la PCV20 y los no incluidos en ninguna vacuna. El serotipo 19A inicialmente fue el más resistente, y el 15A, no incluido en ninguna vacuna, merece un especial seguimiento. El serotipo 8, que fue el que más se incrementó, no mostró resistencia destacable.(AU)

Introduction: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes serious diseases in the susceptible population. The 13-valent pneumococci conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was included in the children's calendar in 2011. The objective of the study was to analyze the evolution of pneumococcal serotypes and their resistance after PCV13. Methods: This study included the pneumococci serotyped in Galicia in 2011-2021. Antibiotic susceptibility was analyzed following EUCAST criteria. The data was analyzed in 3 sub-periods: initial (2011-2013), middle (2014-2017) and final (2018-2021). The prevalence of serotypes and their percentage of resistance to the most representative antibiotics were calculated. Results: A total of 2.869 isolates were included. Initially, 42.7% isolates presented capsular types included in PCV13, compared to 15.4% at the end. Those included in PCV20 and not in PCV13 and PCV15 were 12.5% at baseline and 41.3% at the end; 26.4% of the isolates throughout the study had serotypes not included in any vaccine. The prevalence of serotype 8 multiplied almost by 8 and that of 12F tripled. The 19A serotype was initially the most resistant, while the resistance of serotypes 11A and 15A increased throughout the study. Conclusions: The introduction of PCV13 in the pediatric population determined a change in pneumococcal serotypes towards those included in PCV20 and those not included in any vaccine. Serotype 19A was initially the most resistant and the 15A, not included in any vaccine, deserves special follow-up. Serotype 8, which increased the most, did not show remarkable resistance.(AU)

Executive summary: Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of septic arthritis in adults and children, developed by the GEIO (SEIMC), SEIP and SECOT / Resumen ejecutivo: Guía de diagnóstico y tratamiento de la artritis séptica en adultos y niños de GEIO (SEIMC), SEIP y SECOT

Infection of a native joint, commonly referred to as septic arthritis, is a medical emergency because of the risk of joint destruction and subsequent sequelae. Its diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion. These guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of septic arthritis in children and adults are intended for use by any physician caring for patients with suspected or confirmed septic arthritis. They have been developed by a multidisciplinary panel with representatives from the Bone and Joint Infections Study Group (GEIO) belonging to the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), the Spanish Society of Paediatric Infections (SEIP) and the Spanish Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SECOT), and two rheumatologists. The recommendations are based on evidence derived from a systematic literature review and, failing that, on the opinion of the experts who prepared these guidelines. A detailed description of the background, methods, summary of evidence, the rationale supporting each recommendation, and gaps in knowledge can be found online in the complete document.(AU)

La infección de una articulación nativa, generalmente denominada artritis séptica, constituye una urgencia médica por el riesgo de destrucción articular y las consecuentes secuelas. Su diagnóstico requiere un alto nivel de sospecha. Esta guía de diagnóstico y tratamiento de la artritis séptica en niños y adultos está destinada a cualquier médico que atienda pacientes con sospecha de artritis séptica o artritis séptica confirmada. La guía ha sido elaborada por un panel multidisciplinar en el que están representados el Grupo de Estudio de Infecciones Osteoarticulares (GEIO) de la Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica (SEIMC), la Sociedad Española de Infectología Pediátrica (SEIP) y la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología (SECOT); además han participado dos reumatólogos. Las recomendaciones se basan en la evidencia proporcionada por una revisión sistemática de la literatura y, en su defecto, en la opinión de los expertos que han elaborado la presente guía. En el texto completo online se hace una descripción detallada de los antecedentes, métodos, resumen de la evidencia, fundamentos que apoyan cada recomendación y las lagunas de conocimiento existentes.(AU)

Rhizobacteria isolated from xerophyte Haloxylon ammodendron manipulate root system architecture and enhance drought and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana / Las rizobacterias aisladas del xerófito Haloxylon ammodendron manipulan la arquitectura del sistema radicular y mejoran la tolerancia a la sequía y la sal en Arabidopsis thaliana

The objective of this study was to identify bacteria from the rhizosphere of the black saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) and test the possibility of using the bacteria for enhancement of drought and/or salt tolerance in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. We collected rhizosphere and bulk soil samples from a natural habitat of H. ammodendron in Iran and identified 58 morphotypes of bacteria that were enriched in the rhizosphere. From this collection, we focused our further experiments on eight isolates. Microbiological analyses showed that these isolates have different levels of tolerance to heat, salt, and drought stresses, and showed different capabilities of auxin production and phosphorous solubilization. We first tested the effects of these bacteria on the salt tolerance of Arabidopsis on agar plate assays. The bacteria substantially influenced the root system architecture, but they were not effective in increasing salt tolerance significantly. Pot assays were then conducted to evaluate the effects of the bacteria on salt or drought tolerance of Arabidopsis on peat moss. Results showed that three of these bacteria (Pseudomonas spp. and Peribacillus sp.) effectively enhanced drought tolerance in Arabidopsis, so that while none of the mock-inoculated plants survived after 19 days of water withholding, the survival rate was 50–100% for the plants that were inoculated with these bacteria. The positive effects of the rhizobacteria on a phylogenetically-distant plant species imply that the desert rhizobacteria may be used to enhance abiotic stress in crops.(AU)

Succinic acid production by wine yeasts and the influence of GABA and glutamic acid / Producción de ácido succínico por levaduras enológicas y la influencia del GABA y el ácido glutámico

As a consequence of alcoholic fermentation (AF) in wine, several compounds are released by yeasts, and some of them are linked to the general quality and mouthfeel perceptions in wine. However, others, such as succinic acid, act as inhibitors, mainly of malolactic fermentation. Succinic acid is produced by non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces yeasts during the initial stages of AF, and the presence of some amino acids such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamic acid can increase the concentration of succinic acid. However, the influence of these amino acids on succinic acid production has been studied very little to date. In this work, we studied the production of succinic acid by different strains of non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces yeasts during AF in synthetic must, and the influence of the addition of GABA or glutamic acid or a combination of both. The results showed that succinic acid can be produced by non-Saccharomyces yeasts with values in the range of 0.2–0.4 g/L. Moreover, the addition of GABA or glutamic acid can increase the concentration of succinic acid produced by some strains to almost 100 mg/L more than the control, while other strains produce less. Consequently, higher succinic acid production by non-Saccharomyces yeast in coinoculated fermentations with S. cerevisiae strains could represent a risk of inhibiting Oenococcus oeni and therefore the MLF.(AU)

Sonoprocessing enhances the stabilization of fisetin by encapsulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells / El sonoprocesamiento mejora la estabilización de fisetina mediante encapsulación en células de Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The objective of this study was to investigate for the first time the role of S. cerevisiae natural barriers and endogenous cytoplasmatic bodies on the stabilization of fisetin encapsulated via sonoprocessing coupled to freeze-drying (FD) or spray drying (SD). Both protocols of encapsulation improved the resistance of fisetin against thermal treatments (between 60 and 150 °C) and photochemical-induced deterioration (light exposition for 60 days) compared to non-encapsulated fisetin (antioxidant activity retention of approximately 55% and 90%, respectively). When stored under constant relative humidity (from 32.8 to 90%) for 60 days, yeast carriers improved the half-life time of fisetin by up to 4-fold. Spray dried particles were smaller (4.9 μm) and showed higher fisetin release after simulated gastrointestinal digestion (55.7%) when compared to FD. Freeze-dried particles, in turn, tended to agglomerate more than SD (zeta potential −19.7 mV), resulting in reduced loading features (6.3 mg/g) and less efficient protection of fisetin to heat, photo, and moisture-induced deterioration. Overall, spray-dried sonoprocessed fisetin capsules are an efficient way to preserve fisetin against harsh conditions. Altogether, this report shows that sonoprocessing coupled to drying is an efficient, creative, and straightforward route to protect and deliver lipophilic fisetin using yeast capsules for food applications.(AU)

Plant growth-promoting bacteria isolated from earthworms enhance spinach growth and its phytoremediation potential in metal-contaminated soils / Las bacterias promotoras del crecimiento vegetal aisladas de lombrices de tierra mejoran el crecimiento de las espinacas y su potencial de fitorremediación en suelos contaminados con metales

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of metal-tolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolated from the chloragogenous tissue of Aporrectodea molleri, which represents a unique habitat. Our objectives were to investigate their effects on the growth of Spinacia oleracea under heavy metal stress and assess their potential for enhancing phytoremediation capabilities. The experiment was conducted in an alkaline soil contaminated with 7 mg kg-1 of cadmium, 100 mg kg-1 of nickel, 150 mg kg-1 of copper, 300 mg kg-1 of Zinc, and mg kg-1 of 600 Manganese. The results showed that heavy metal stress considerably diminished root (42.8%) and shoot length (60.1%), biomass (80%), chlorophyll content (41%), soil alkaline (45%), and acid (51%) phosphatases (42%) and urease (42%). However, soil inoculation with bacterial isolates remarkably improved plant growth. Soil bioaugmentation increased spinach growth (up to 74.5% for root length, up to 106.3% for shoot length, and up to 5.5 folds for fresh biomass) while significantly increasing soil enzyme activity and NPK content. Multivariate data analysis indicated that soil inoculation with Bacillus circulans TC7 promoted plant growth while limiting metal bioaccumulation, whereas Pseudomonas sp. TC33 and Bacillus subtilis TC34 increased metal bioaccumulation in spinach tissues while minimizing their toxicity. Our study confirms that earthworms are a reservoir of multi-beneficial bacteria that can effectively improve phytoremediation efficiency and mitigate the toxic effects of heavy metals on plant growth. Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects and feasibility of using these isolates as a consortium in field applications.(AU)

Impact of Open Access status on journal metrics in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology - A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: While Open Access (OA) journals provide free access to articles, they entail high article processing charges (APC), limiting opportunities for young researchers and those from low-middle income countries to publish OA. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, evaluating APC and academic impact of full OA (FOA) journals in infectious diseases (ID) and clinical microbiology (CM) compared to hybrid journals. Data were collected from Journal Citation Reports and journals' websites. RESULTS: Among 255 journals, median APC was 2850 (interquartile range [IQR] 1325-3654$). Median APC for 120 FOA journals was significantly lower than for 119 hybrid journals (2000, IQR 648-2767$ versus 3550, IQR 2948-4120$, p < 0.001). FOA journals had lower citation numbers and impact metrics compared to hybrid journals. CONCLUSION: While FOA ID/CM journals have lower APCs, they also lower academic impact compared to hybrid journals. These findings highlight the need for reforms in the publication process in view of achieving equitable data dissemination.

Analysis of justification for author order and gender bias in author order among those contributing equally.

The practice of designating two or more authors as equal contributors (ECs) on a scientific publication is increasingly common as a form of sharing credit. However, EC authors are often unclearly attributed on curriculum vitae (CVs) or citation engines, and it is unclear how research teams determine author order within an EC listing. In response to studies showing that male authors were more likely to be placed first in an EC listing, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) required that authors explain the reasons for author order beginning in 2020. In this study, we analyze data from over 2,500 ASM publications to see how this policy affected gender bias and how research teams are making decisions on author order. Data on publications from 2018 to 2021 show that gender bias was largely nonsignificant both before and after authors were asked by ASM to provide an EC statement. The most likely reasons for EC order included alphabetical order, seniority, and chance, although there were differences for publications from different geographic regions. However, many research teams used unique methods in order selection, highlighting the importance of EC statements to provide clarity for readers, funding agencies, and tenure committees. IMPORTANCE: First-author publications are important for early career scientists to secure funding and educational opportunities. However, an analysis published in eLife in 2019 noted that female authors are more likely to be placed second even when both authors report they have contributed equally. American Society for Microbiology announced in response that they would require submissions to include a written justification of author order. In this paper, we analyze the resultant data and show that laboratories are most likely to use some combination of alphabetical order, seniority, and chance to determine author order. However, the prevalence of these methods varies based on the research team's geographic location. These findings highlight the importance of equal contributor statements to provide clarity for readers, funding agencies, and tenure committees. Furthermore, this work is critically important for understanding how these decisions are made and provides a glimpse of the sociology of science.

Ten promotion and tenure tips for microbiologists and immunologists.

In this editorial, I share advice and general principles based on recent experiences as a mentor and evaluator for early-career microbiology and immunology faculty seeking promotion and tenure. I outline 10 recommendations covering research, service, teaching, and mentoring. In addition, I encourage nuanced conversations with colleagues to strategically navigate the unique promotion and tenure processes at different institutions. I hope that these practical tips will assist early-career faculty in attaining promotion and tenure, contributing to long-term scientific and career advances.