Pratylenchus Araucensis (Rhabditida: Pratylenchidae) a Widely Distributed Nematode in Musa Spp. from Colombia.

Pratylenchus is one of the most limiting nematodes of Musaceae production in the world. Knowledge of the nematode species is one of the requirements for its management in the field. This study aimed to identify up to the species level Pratylenchus populations associated with plantain and banana crops in the states of Caldas, Quindío, and Valle del Cauca in Colombia. In these regions, Pratylenchus has been reported to affect these crops in the past, but with records of the nematode only up to the genus level. For this purpose, five populations of Pratylenchus extracted from samples composed of roots and rhizospheric soil, four from plantain and one from banana, were identified through morphological, morphometric, and molecular analysis (sequencing of the D2-D3 of rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I of mtDNA). All populations were identified as P. araucensis, a species reported previously in eastern Colombia, and one that the present study found in the center and southwest of the country, indicating that this species of nematode is widely distributed in the Musaceae-producing areas of Colombia. The present study reports the first COI mtDNA sequences for this species of nematode.

Seropositivity for Bovine Viral Diarrhea and Enzootic Bovine Leukemia viruses in Blanco Orejinegro cattle in Colombia and infection associated-factors / Soropositividade para o vírus da diarréia viral bovina e leucemia bovina enzoótica em bovinos Blanco Orejinegro na Colômbia e fatores associados à infecção

ABSTRACT Serological controls for diseases of viral origin in animal production systems and the identification of factors associated with infections are decisive elements to establish prevention and control measures. The aim of this study was to establish the serological status for Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and Enzootic Bovine Leukemia (EBL) viruses in Blanco Orejinegro (BON) cattle from Colombia, and to identify the factors associated with seropositivity. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 498 animals of all age groups and physiological states of the BON breed were selected, belonging to 14 herds located in 6 states of Colombia, in which a survey with 27 questions was conducted. By means of the chi-square test, possible factors associated with seropositivity against the 2 viruses were identified. A sample of 4 ml of blood was taken from each animal to extract plasma and make indirect Elisa tests to detect antibodies against both pathogens. General seropositivity of 27,1% was obtained for EBL, finding as factors associated with seropositivity the inadequate disposition of placental tissues after delivery of the cows and the non-performance of serological tests on new animals entering the herd. For BVD, seropositivity obtained was 50,6%, and the factors associated with seropositivity identified were having had a history of the disease in the herd, and using semen from bulls that are not known to be free for the infection. We suggest establishing control measures considering the factors associated with each viral infection to limit their expansion in the BON cattle production systems of Colombia.

RESUMO Os controles sorológicos para doenças de origem viral nos sistemas de produção animal e a identificação de fatores associados à infecção são elementos decisivos para estabelecer medidas de prevenção e controle. O objetivo deste estudo foi estabelecer o status sorológico dos vírus da Diarréia Viral Bovina (BVD) e da Leucemia Bovina Enzoótica (EBL) em bovinos Blanco Orejinegro (BON) da Colômbia e identificar os fatores associados à soropositividade. Foram selecionados 498 animais de todas as faixas etárias e estados fisiológicos da raça BON, de 14 rebanhos localizados em seis regiões da Colômbia, nos quais foi realizada uma pesquisa para identificar possíveis fatores associados à soropositividade contra os dois vírus. Foi retirada uma amostra de 4 ml de sangue de cada animal para extrair plasma e fazer testes ELISA indiretos para detectar anticorpos contra os dois patógenos. Obteve-se soropositividade geral de 27,1% para EBL, encontrando como fatores associados à soropositividade a disposição inadequada dos tecidos placentários após o parto das vacas e a não realização de testes sorológicos em novos animais que entraram no rebanho. Para a BVD, a soropositividade obtida foi de 50,6%, e os fatores associados à soropositividade identificados foram: histórico de doença no rebanho e uso de sêmen de touros que não são reconhecidos como livres da infecção. Sugerimos o estabelecimento de medidas de controle considerando os fatores associados a cada infecção viral para limitar sua expansão nos sistemas de produção de gado BON da Colômbia.

Assessment of differentially methylated loci in individuals with end-stage kidney disease attributed to diabetic kidney disease: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: A subset of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are predisposed to developing diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the most common cause globally of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Emerging evidence suggests epigenetic changes in DNA methylation may have a causal role in both T1DM and DKD. The aim of this exploratory investigation was to assess differences in blood-derived DNA methylation patterns between individuals with T1DM-ESKD and individuals with long-duration T1DM but no evidence of kidney disease upon repeated testing to identify potential blood-based biomarkers. Blood-derived DNA from individuals (107 cases, 253 controls and 14 experimental controls) were bisulphite treated before DNA methylation patterns from both groups were generated and analysed using Illumina's Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip arrays (n = 862,927 sites). Differentially methylated CpG sites (dmCpGs) were identified (false discovery rate adjusted p ≤ × 10-8 and fold change ± 2) by comparing methylation levels between ESKD cases and T1DM controls at single site resolution. Gene annotation and functionality was investigated to enrich and rank methylated regions associated with ESKD in T1DM. RESULTS: Top-ranked genes within which several dmCpGs were located and supported by functional data with methylation look-ups in other cohorts include: AFF3, ARID5B, CUX1, ELMO1, FKBP5, HDAC4, ITGAL, LY9, PIM1, RUNX3, SEPTIN9 and UPF3A. Top-ranked enrichment pathways included pathways in cancer, TGF-ß signalling and Th17 cell differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Epigenetic alterations provide a dynamic link between an individual's genetic background and their environmental exposures. This robust evaluation of DNA methylation in carefully phenotyped individuals has identified biomarkers associated with ESKD, revealing several genes and implicated key pathways associated with ESKD in individuals with T1DM.

The presence of two reduced function variants in CYP2C9 influences the acute response to glipizide.

AIMS: To examine whether the presence of two common missense variants in the CYP2C9 gene (rs1799853, encoding Arg144Cys and denoted as *2, and rs1057910, encoding Ile359Leu and denoted as *3) influences the acute physiological response to a single glipizide dose in individuals naïve to diabetes medications. METHODS: In the Study to Understand the Genetics of the Acute Response to Metformin and Glipizide in Humans (SUGAR-MGH), 786 individuals genotyped for rs1799853/rs41291560 (*2) and rs1057910/rs9332214 (*3) were treated with 5 mg glipizide in the fasting state. Glucose and insulin levels were measured at baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 min for calculation of phenotypic endpoints of glipizide response. The challenge was aborted as a result of hypoglycaemia, defined as glucose <2.8 mmol/l or hypoglycaemia-related symptoms. RESULTS: Carriers with two reduced function alleles had a 50% larger insulin area under the curve than carriers with zero or one copy (P=0.037), although this finding was primarily driven by an individual with a robust insulin response. In adjusted analyses, the risk of aborting the glipizide challenge was doubled in two-copy carriers (P=0.034). No significant findings were observed in glucose-based endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: Carriers of two reduced function alleles in CYP2C9 may experience an increased insulin response to glipizide and be predisposed to a higher risk of hypoglycaemia, although no effect of genotype was seen in glucose-based measurements. Further studies are needed to clarify the utility of CYP2C9 genotyping to guide sulfonylurea treatment.

ZnO-based nanofungicides: Synthesis, characterization and their effect on the coffee fungi Mycena citricolor and Colletotrichum sp.

In this work we compare the antifungal capacity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) synthesized by a chemical route and a ZnO-based nanobiohybrid obtained by green synthesis in an extract of garlic (Allium sativum). To find out the characteristics of the materials synthesized, X-ray diffraction (XRD), IR spectroscopy and absorption in UV-Vis were used, as well as both scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. The results showed that the samples obtained were of nanometric size (<100 nm), with a predominance of the wurtzite crystal phase of ZnO and little crystallization of the nanobiohybrids. Their antifungal capacity on two pathogenic fungi of coffee, Mycena citricolor (Berk and Curt) and Colletotrichum sp. was also evaluated. Both nanomaterials showed an efficient antifungal capacity, particularly the nanobiohybrids, with ~97% inhibition in growth of M. citricolor, and ~93% for Colletotrichum sp. The microstructural study with high resolution optical (HROM) and ultra-structural microscopy (using TEM) carried out on the fungi treated with the synthesized nanomaterials showed a strong nanofungicidal effect on the vegetative and reproductive structures and fungal cell wall, respectively. The inhibition of the growth of the fungi and micro and ultra-structural affectations were explained considering that the size of the nanomaterials allows them to pass easily through the cell membranes. This indicates that they can be absorbed easily by the fungi tested here, causing cellular dysfunction. Nanofungicide effects are also attributable to the unique properties of nanomaterials, such as the high surface-to-bulk ratio of atoms and their surface physicochemical characteristics that could directly or indirectly produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which affect the proteins of the cell wall.

Antimicrobial activity of a new synthetic peptide loaded in polylactic acid or poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Nanocarrier systems are currently being developed for peptide, protein and gene delivery to protect them in the blood circulation and in the gastrointestinal tract. Polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with a new antimicrobial GIBIM-P5S9K peptide were obtained by the double emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation method. PLA- and PLGA-NPs were spherical with sizes between 300 and 400 nm for PLA and 200 and 300 nm for PLGA and <0.3 polydispersity index as determined by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy), having the zeta potential of >20 mV. The peptide-loading efficiency of PLA-NP and PLGA-NPs was 75% and 55%, respectively. PLA- and PLGA-NPs released around 50% of this peptide over 8 h. In 10% human sera the size of peptide loaded PLA- and PLGA-NPs increased between 25.2% and 39.3%, the PDI changed from 3.2 to 5.1 and the surface charge from -7.15 to 14.6 mV. Both peptide loaded PLA- and PLGA-NPs at 0.5 µM peptide concentration inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas. aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). In contrast, free peptide inhibited at 10 µM but did not inhibit at 0.5 and 1 µM. These PLA- and PLGA-NPs presented <10% hemolysis indicating that they are hemocompatible and promising for delivery and protection system of GIBIM-P5S9K peptide.

Genetic variation in blue whales in the eastern pacific: implication for taxonomy and use of common wintering grounds.

Many aspects of blue whale biology are poorly understood. Some of the gaps in our knowledge, such as those regarding their basic taxonomy and seasonal movements, directly affect our ability to monitor and manage blue whale populations. As a step towards filling in some of these gaps, microsatellite and mtDNA sequence analyses were conducted on blue whale samples from the Southern Hemisphere, the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) and the northeast Pacific. The results indicate that the ETP is differentially used by blue whales from the northern and southern eastern Pacific, with the former showing stronger affinity to the region off Central America known as the Costa Rican Dome, and the latter favouring the waters of Peru and Ecuador. Although the pattern of genetic variation throughout the Southern Hemisphere is compatible with the recently proposed subspecies status of Chilean blue whales, some discrepancies remain between catch lengths and lengths from aerial photography, and not all blue whales in Chilean waters can be assumed to be of this type. Also, the range of the proposed Chilean subspecies, which extends to the Galapagos region of the ETP, at least seasonally, perhaps should include the Costa Rican Dome and the eastern North Pacific as well.

Survival of acral lentiginous melanoma in the National Cancer Institute of Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine survival of a cohort of patients with acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), treated at the National Cancer Institute of Colombia, the largest referral hospital of the country. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with an invasive ALM between 2003 and 2009 at the Colombian National Cancer Institute were included for analyses and followed for vital status and date of death. Using Kaplan-Meier methods, overall survival at 1, 3 and 5 years post diagnosis was determined, and Cox proportional hazards models were constructed for the variables showing a significant effect on survival in univariate analyses. RESULTS: Overall survival of this cohort of 90 patients was 77% at 1 year, 59% at 3 years and 54% at 5 years after diagnosis. Females had a better prognosis in univariate analyses but this advantage disappeared in multivariate models. Clinical stage was a strong predictor of survival, in univariate and multivariate models, particularly among elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS: Prognosis of ALM in Colombia is relatively poor, particularly for patients with higher clinical stage. The large proportions of ALM diagnosed in stage III and IV explain the relatively poor survival, and illustrate the importance of improving prognosis by lowering stage at diagnosis through better education and early detection programmes.

Steroid Sex Hormones, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, and Diabetes Incidence in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

CONTEXT: Steroid sex hormones and SHBG may modify metabolism and diabetes risk, with implications for sex-specific diabetes risk and effects of prevention interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships of steroid sex hormones, SHBG and SHBG single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with diabetes risk factors and with progression to diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial involving 27 U.S. academic institutions. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 2898 DPP participants: 969 men, 948 premenopausal women not taking exogenous sex hormones, 550 postmenopausal women not taking exogenous sex hormones, and 431 postmenopausal women taking exogenous sex hormones. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to receive intensive lifestyle intervention, metformin, or placebo. MAIN OUTCOMES: Associations of steroid sex hormones, SHBG, and SHBG SNPs with glycemia and diabetes risk factors, and with incident diabetes over median 3.0 years (maximum, 5.0 y). RESULTS: T and DHT were inversely associated with fasting glucose in men, and estrone sulfate was directly associated with 2-hour post-challenge glucose in men and premenopausal women. SHBG was associated with fasting glucose in premenopausal women not taking exogenous sex hormones, and in postmenopausal women taking exogenous sex hormones, but not in the other groups. Diabetes incidence was directly associated with estrone and estradiol and inversely with T in men; the association with T was lost after adjustment for waist circumference. Sex steroids were not associated with diabetes outcomes in women. SHBG and SHBG SNPs did not predict incident diabetes in the DPP population. CONCLUSIONS: Estrogens and T predicted diabetes risk in men but not in women. SHBG and its polymorphisms did not predict risk in men or women. Diabetes risk is more potently determined by obesity and glycemia than by sex hormones.

Geometrically frustrated Fe2P-like systems: beyond the Fe-trimer approximation.

Fe(2)P-like structures can be strongly frustrated magnets due to their Kagome/triangular intercalated-layer structure. A complete magnetic solution of the complex spin architecture, and hence the full potential of the magnetic phenomena in Fe(2)P-like material prototypes, is yet to be found. A previous magnetic model for a representative FeCrAs-like system used a mean-field effective-spin to describe the 3g-Wyckoff located Fe-triangles. Such an approach demonstrated the outstanding magnetocaloric properties of the material but left the question of whether the intra-trimer interaction could lead to new physical phenomena and therefore more potentially useful properties. In this work Monte Carlo simulations are employed in order to understand both the influence of the additional degrees of freedom introduced by the Fe-trimers and the changes caused by all the possible exchange couplings between them. Complex scenarios arise, in which FM coupling in the trimers gives rise to both in-plane and out-of-plane inter-layer AFM states; whereas AFM exchange in the trimers gives rise to three distinct states, i.e. AFM-canted layers, a non-collinear superposition of ferromagnetic Kagome/triangular orderings, and tilted inter-planar AFM order. These last three configurations generate a double bifurcated magnetic phase diagram while the first one mimics the behavior seen in a model that treats the trimer as an effective-spin under an applied magnetic field.

Therapeutic Challenges in Diabetes Prevention: We Have Not Found the "Exercise Pill".

Type 2 diabetes has become an enormous public health burden, making diabetes prevention a pressing issue. While lifestyle modification is the most effective preventive strategy, it is resource-intensive and not universally sustainable. We review the evidence on pharmacological options for diabetes prevention, in search of a medication that is efficacious, easy to adhere to, well tolerated, and cost-effective. With the exception of metformin, most other drugs have either limited efficacy or costly side effects.

Foot polydactyly and bipartite medial cuneiform: A case of co-occurrence in a Celtic skeleton from Verona (Italy).

We report a case of bilateral foot polydactyly and bipartite medial cuneiform in a male individual buried in a Celtic/Roman necropolis (3rd to 1st century BCE) in the city of Verona (Italy). During the construction of an underground garage in the main courtyard of the Bishop's Seminary at Verona between 2005 and 2010, archaeologists uncovered the remains of 174 individuals (108 non-adults and 66 adults). It is thought that these graves could belong to some of the first inhabitants of the urban area of Verona. The individual presented here (US 2807) is a middle-aged male (40-50 years) in a good state of preservation. His estimated stature is 1756 mm (± 32.1 mm). This male presents congenital anomalies in the feet and dental agenesis. We believe this to be the only known archaeological case of bilateral postaxial polydactyly with forked (Y) shape, in which both fifth metatarsals are associated with complete bipartition of the left medial cuneiform and partial bipartition of the right one. Polydactyly is fairly common in modern clinical cases but bipartite medial cuneiform is relatively rare; neither of these congenital conditions is well documented archaeologically.

Blue whale population structure along the eastern South Pacific Ocean: evidence of more than one population.

Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) were among the most intensively exploited species of whales in the world. As a consequence of this intense exploitation, blue whale sightings off the coast of Chile were uncommon by the end of the 20th century. In 2004, a feeding and nursing ground was reported in southern Chile (SCh). With the aim to investigate the genetic identity and relationship of these Chilean blue whales to those in other Southern Hemisphere areas, 60 biopsy samples were collected from blue whales in SCh between 2003 and 2009. These samples were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial control region was sequenced, allowing us to identify 52 individuals. To investigate the genetic identity of this suspected remnant population, we compared these 52 individuals to blue whales from Antarctica (ANT, n = 96), Northern Chile (NCh, n = 19) and the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP, n = 31). No significant differentiation in haplotype frequencies (mtDNA) or among genotypes (nDNA) was found between SCh, NCh and ETP, while significant differences were found between those three areas and Antarctica for both the mitochondrial and microsatellite analyses. Our results suggest at least two breeding population units or subspecies exist, which is also supported by other lines of evidence such as morphometrics and acoustics. The lack of differences detected between SCh/NCh/ETP areas supports the hypothesis that eastern South Pacific blue whales are using the ETP area as a possible breeding area. Considering the small population sizes previously reported for the SCh area, additional conservation measures and monitoring of this population should be developed and prioritized.

Multiplex PCR assay for identification of six different Staphylococcus spp. and simultaneous detection of methicillin and mupirocin resistance.

We describe a new, efficient, sensitive, and fast single-tube multiple-PCR protocol for the identification of the most clinically significant Staphylococcus spp. and the simultaneous detection of the methicillin and mupirocin resistance loci. The protocol identifies at the species level isolates belonging to S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, S. hominis, S. lugdunensis, and S. saprophyticus.

The SH2B1 obesity locus and abnormal glucose homeostasis: lack of evidence for association from a meta-analysis in individuals of European ancestry.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is influenced both by environmental and by genetic determinants. Obesity is an important risk factor for T2D, mostly mediated by obesity-related insulin resistance. Obesity and insulin resistance are also modulated by the genetic milieu; thus, genes affecting risk of obesity and insulin resistance might also modulate risk of T2D. Recently, 32 loci have been associated with body mass index (BMI) by genome-wide studies, including one locus on chromosome 16p11 containing the SH2B1 gene. Animal studies have suggested that SH2B1 is a physiological enhancer of the insulin receptor and humans with rare deletions or mutations at SH2B1 are obese with a disproportionately high insulin resistance. Thus, the role of SH2B1 in both obesity and insulin resistance makes it a strong candidate for T2D. However, published data on the role of SH2B1 variability on the risk for T2D are conflicting, ranging from no effect at all to a robust association. METHODS: The SH2B1 tag SNP rs4788102 (SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism) was genotyped in 6978 individuals from six studies for abnormal glucose homeostasis (AGH), including impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or T2D, from the GENetics of Type 2 Diabetes in Italy and the United States (GENIUS T2D) consortium. Data from these studies were then meta-analyzed, in a Bayesian fashion, with those from DIAGRAM+ (n = 47,117) and four other published studies (n = 39,448). RESULTS: Variability at the SH2B1 obesity locus was not associated with AGH either in the GENIUS consortium (overall odds ratio (OR) = 0.96; 0.89-1.04) or in the meta-analysis (OR = 1.01; 0.98-1.05). CONCLUSION: Our data exclude a role for the SH2B1 obesity locus in the modulation of AGH.

Spinodal decomposition and the emergence of dissipative transient periodic spatio-temporal patterns in acentrosomal microtubule multitudes of different morphology.

We have studied a spontaneous self-organization dynamics in a closed, dissipative (in terms of guansine 5'-triphosphate energy dissipation), reaction-diffusion system of acentrosomal microtubules (those nucleated and organized in the absence of a microtubule-organizing centre) multitude constituted of straight and curved acentrosomal microtubules, in highly crowded conditions, in vitro. Our data give experimental evidence that cross-diffusion in conjunction with excluded volume is the underlying mechanism on basis of which acentrosomal microtubule multitudes of different morphologies (straight and curved) undergo a spatial-temporal demix. Demix is constituted of a bifurcation process, manifested as a slow isothermal spinodal decomposition, and a dissipative process of transient periodic spatio-temporal pattern formation. While spinodal decomposition is an energy independent process, transient periodic spatio-temporal pattern formation is accompanied by energy dissipative process. Accordingly, we have determined that the critical threshold for slow, isothermal spinodal decomposition is 1.0 ± 0.05 mg/ml of microtubule protein concentration. We also found that periodic spacing of transient periodic spatio-temporal patterns was, in the overall, increasing versus time. For illustration, we found that a periodic spacing of the same pattern was 0.375 ± 0.036 mm, at 36 °C, at 155th min, while it was 0.540 ± 0.041 mm at 31 °C, and at 275th min after microtubule assembly started. The lifetime of transient periodic spatio-temporal patterns spans from half an hour to two hours approximately. The emergence of conditions of macroscopic symmetry breaking (that occur due to cross-diffusion in conjunction with excluded volume) may have more general but critical importance in morphological pattern development in complex, dissipative, but open cellular systems.

Magnetic entropy change plateau in a geometrically frustrated layered system: FeCrAs-like iron-pnictide structure as a magnetocaloric prototype.

Monte Carlo modeling suggests that the magnetothermal features of the Fe2P-structured FeCrAs-like compound offer a promising route for the design of magnetocaloric materials. The prototype structure is modeled as antiferromagnetically coupled layered Heisenberg systems mimicking the distorted Kagome/triangular stacked architecture of FeCrAs iron-pnictide. The magnetic entropy change ΔSm(T) presents a plateau-like behavior which can be tailored by tuning either the JCr-Fe/JCr-Cr exchange energy ratio or the magnetic field. The plateau is defined by cooperative spin ordering within a ferrimagnetic region which exists between two critical temperatures separating at the lower bound (Tac) a canted antiferromagnetic phase and at the upper bound (Tdc) the thermally disordered phase. The refrigerant capacity and adiabatic change of temperature are A(H)(Tdc - Tac) and A(H)Tp/Cm respectively, with Tac < Tp < Tdc, A(H) an increasing positive function of the field defining the height of the plateau and Cm the magnetic specific heat, whose critical behavior is related to the T(a,d)(c) values.

Magnetostriction in epitaxial SrTi(1-x)Fe(x)O(3-δ) perovskite films with x = 0.13 and 0.35.

The crystal structure, magnetic anisotropy and magnetoelasticity of epitaxial SrTi(0.87)Fe(0.13)O(3-δ) (STF13) and SrTi(0.65)Fe(0.35)O(3-δ) (STF35) films grown on (001), (011), and (111) oriented SrTiO(3) substrates were investigated. The films grew with compressive in-plane strain and underwent tetragonal, monoclinic, and rhombohedral distortions on the (001), (011), and (111) substrates, respectively. All samples showed room temperature magnetic hysteresis loops with strong out-of-plane anisotropy. The resulting magnetoelastic anisotropy was an order of magnitude greater than the magnetocrystalline and shape anisotropies. Magnetoelastic coefficients of B(1) =- 6.7 × 10(6) and B(2) =- 28 to -26 × 10(6) erg cm(-3) for STF13 and B(1) =- 2.0 × 10(6) and B(2) =- 5.4 to -3.9 × 10(6) erg cm(-3) for STF35 were determined from the magnetic anisotropy and lattice strain, corresponding to magnetostriction constants of λ(100) = 2.09 × 10(-6) and λ(111) = 7.68 × 10(-6) for STF13, and λ(100) = 0.62 × 10(-6) and λ(111) = 1.07 × 10(-6) for STF35.

Diversidad de clones de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a meticilina y emergencia de nuevos clones encontrados en comunidades de Tenerife, punto caliente de turismo en España / High diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones and emergence of newly described ones in communities of Tenerife Island, a travel hub in Spain

Objetivo: Analizar una colección de aislados de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes a meticilina (SARM) recogidos en Tenerife e identificar aquellas cepas estrictamente comunitarias. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de los aislados SARM recogidos entre julio de 2004 y mayo de 2007, que encajaron como SARM adquiridos en la comunidad, según las normas del Centro para la Prevención y Control de Enfermedades. Se realizó la identificación fenotípica y los perfiles de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana para una amplia gama de antibióticos empleando un sistema automatizado, confirmando los resultados posteriormente mediante PCR. Resultados: Se detectaron en la comunidad perfiles típicos de aislados SARM hospitalarios, como la multirresistencia y el SCCmecII. La toxina característica de aislados comunitarios, el PVL, se halló en un bajo porcentaje concentrado en el sur de la isla. Se describieron dos linajes nuevos: ST1433-SASM y ST1434-SARM-IVA. Conclusiones: Aislados de SARM con características hospitalarias y comunitarias se encuentran circulando en ambos ambientes. Desaconsejamos aplicar terapia empírica sin previo análisis molecular del microorganismo (AU)

Objective: To analyse a set of MRSA isolates collected from Tenerife Island in order to distinguish among them CA-MRSA and others. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was performed with MRSA isolates collected from July 2004 to May 2007 which adhered to CDC’s rules for defining CA-MRSA. The phenotipic characterization and the antimicrobial susceptility profile for a wide variety of antibiotics was carried out with an automated system and confirmed by PCR. Results: Typical profiles of hospital MRSA, as the multirresistance and the SCCmecII, were found in the community of Tenerife. The PVL, proposed characteristic of MRSA, was detected in a low percentage, located in the south of the island. Also, two new lineages were described: ST1433-MSSA y ST1434-MRSA-IVA. Conclusions: MRSA isolates with hospital and community features are circulated now in both environments. Therefore, we advise against applying a empiric therapy without a previous molecular analysis of the microorganism (AU)