Enterovirus D68 disease burden and epidemiology in hospital-admitted influenza-like illness, Valencia region of Spain, 2014-2020 influenza seasons.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging agent for which data on the susceptible adult population is scarce. We performed a 6-year analysis of respiratory samples from influenza-like illness (ILI) admitted during 2014-2020 in 4-10 hospitals in the Valencia Region, Spain. EV-D68 was identified in 68 (3.

Risk of tuberculosis among pulmonary tuberculosis contacts: the importance of time of exposure to index cases.

Introduction: The intensity of exposure to index cases of tuberculosis [TB] may increase the risk of TB in their contacts. The aim was to determine TB risk factors among contacts of TB index cases.

Methods: A cohort study was carried out in the contacts of pulmonary TB cases registered by the epidemiological surveillance network from 01/01/2019 to 06/30/2021.

Pulse-controlled qubit in semiconductor double quantum dots.

We present a numerically-optimized multipulse framework for the quantum control of a single-electron double quantum dot qubit. Our framework defines a set of pulse sequences, necessary for the manipulation of the ideal qubit basis, that avoids errors associated with excitations outside the computational subspace. A novel control scheme manipulates the qubit adiabatically, while also retaining high speed and ability to perform a general single-qubit rotation.

Microbiome of Free-Living Amoebae (FLA) Isolated from Fresh Organic Produce: Potential Risk to Consumers?

In response to growing global interest in organic agriculture, this study delves into the microbial landscape of organically grown raw produce with a focus on food safety. Vegetables that are consumed raw are potential vehicles for the transmission of any type of microorganism capable of causing human disease. Free-living amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous protozoa found in many ecosystems and can serve as hosts to pathogenic bacteria.

Protozoan parasites and free-living amoebae contamination in organic leafy green vegetables and strawberries from Spain.

In this study, the presence of spp., sp., spp.

Prevalence and Characterization of Beta-Lactam and Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Organic Fresh Produce Retailed in Eastern Spain.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are potential reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance determinants, but few studies have focused specifically on organic vegetables. The present study aimed to determine the presence of third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)- and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria on fresh organic vegetables produced in the city of Valencia (Spain). Main expanded spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and carbapenemase-encoding genes were also detected in the isolates.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on contact tracing of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic could have negative effects on tuberculosis (TB) control. The objective was to assess the impact of the pandemic in contact tracing, TB and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in contacts of patients with pulmonary TB in Catalonia (Spain).

Methods: Contact tracing was carried out in cases of pulmonary TB detected during 14 months in the pre-pandemic period (1 January 2019 to 28 February 2020) and 14 months in the pandemic period (1 March 2020 to 30 April 2021).

4.2 K sensitivity-tunable radio frequency reflectometry of a physically defined p-channel silicon quantum dot.

We demonstrate the measurement of p-channel silicon-on-insulator quantum dots at liquid helium temperatures by using a radio frequency (rf) reflectometry circuit comprising of two independently tunable GaAs varactors. This arrangement allows observing Coulomb diamonds at 4.2 K under nearly best matching condition and optimal signal-to-noise ratio.

Alimentary and Pharmaceutical Approach to Natural Antimicrobials against Gastrointestinal Infection.

Incidence of infection (CDI) has been increasing in recent decades due to different factors, namely (i) extended use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, (ii) transmission within asymptomatic and susceptible patients, and (iii) unbalanced gastrointestinal microbiome and collateral diseases that favor gastrointestinal domination and toxin production. Although antibiotic therapies have resulted in successful control of CDI in the last 20 years, the development of novel strategies is urged in order to combat the capability of to generate and acquire resistance to conventional treatments and its consequent proliferation. In this regard, vegetable and marine bioactives have emerged as alternative and effective molecules to fight against this concerning pathogen.

Optimization of pre- treatments with Propidium Monoazide and PEMAX™ before real-time quantitative PCR for detection and quantification of viable Helicobacter pylori cells.

Accurate detection of H. pylori in different environmental and clinical samples is essential for public health strtdudies. Now, a big effort is being made to design PCR methodologies that allow for the detection of viable and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) H.

The haplolethality paradox of the wupA gene in Drosophila.

Haplolethals (HL) are regions of diploid genomes that in one dose are fatal for the organism. Their biological meaning is obscure because heterozygous loss-of-function mutations result in dominant lethality (DL) and, consequently, should be under strong negative selection. We report an in depth study of the HL associated to the gene wings up A (wupA).

The ubiquitin ligase Ariadne-1 regulates neurotransmitter release via ubiquitination of NSF.

Ariadne-1 (Ari-1) is an E3 ubiquitin-ligase essential for neuronal development, but whose neuronal substrates are yet to be identified. To search for putative Ari-1 substrates, we used an in vivo ubiquitin biotinylation strategy coupled to quantitative proteomics of Drosophila heads. We identified 16 candidates that met the established criteria: a significant change of at least twofold increase on ubiquitination, with at least two unique peptides identified.

Genotyping and molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance in thermophilic Campylobacter isolated from poultry breeders and their progeny in Eastern Spain.

Thermophilic Campylobacter spp. are recognized as a major cause of acute bacterial diarrhea in humans, with broiler meat being the most common source of human infection. Antibiotic therapy is usually necessary for severe or prolonged infections, especially in immunocompromised populations such as young or elderly individuals.

Determination of the bacterial microbiome of free-living amoebae isolated from wastewater by 16S rRNA amplicon-based sequencing.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are ubiquitous protozoa commonly found in water. FLA are well-established hosts for amoeba-resistant bacteria, most of which are pathogenic, and offer them shelter from adverse environmental conditions or water treatments. Since there is very little knowledge about the complete bacterial microbiome of FLA, in this work the bacterial microbiome of FLA isolated from wastewater both after secondary and tertiary treatments was studied by amplicon-based sequencing.

Evaluation of different culture media for detection and quantification of H. pylori in environmental and clinical samples.

The objective of the present study was to establish the most suitable culture medium for the isolation of H. pylori from environmental and clinical samples. Ten different culture media were compared and evaluated.

Deep-amplicon sequencing (DAS) analysis to determine the presence of pathogenic Helicobacter species in wastewater reused for irrigation.

Wastewater has become one of the most important and least expensive water for the agriculture sector, as well as an alternative to the overexploitation of water resources. However, inappropriate treatment before its reuse can result in a negative impact on the environment, such as the presence of pathogens. This poses an increased risk for environmental safety, which can subsequently lead to an increased risk for human health.

Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model to assess fucoidan bioactivity preventing Helicobacter pylori infection.

Currently, Helicobacter pylori is the unique biological carcinogenic agent. The search for antimicrobial alternatives to antibiotics against this pathogen has been categorized as a priority due to the drastic failure associated with current applied antibiotic therapy. The present study assessed the bioactive antimicrobial capability of fucoidan ("Generally Recognized as Safe" approval - European Commission December 2017) from different species of Phaeophyceae algae (Fucus vesiculosus, Undaria pinnatifida, Macrocystis pyrifera) against H.

Preparing Multipartite Entangled Spin Qubits via Pauli Spin Blockade.

Preparing large-scale multi-partite entangled states of quantum bits in each physical form such as photons, atoms or electrons for each specific application area is a fundamental issue in quantum science and technologies. Here, we propose a setup based on Pauli spin blockade (PSB) for the preparation of large-scale W states of electrons in a double quantum dot (DQD). Within the proposed scheme, two W states of n and m electrons respectively can be fused by allowing each W state to transfer a single electron to each quantum dot.

PI3K activation prevents Aβ42-induced synapse loss and favors insoluble amyloid deposit formation.

Excess of Aβ42 peptide is considered a hallmark of the disease. Here we express the human Aβ42 peptide to assay the neuroprotective effects of PI3K in adult . The neuronal expression of the human peptide elicits progressive toxicity in the adult fly.

Evidence of viable Helicobacter pylori and other bacteria of public health interest associated with free-living amoebae in lettuce samples by next generation sequencing and other molecular techniques.

Vegetables are one of the sources from which Helicobacter pylori can be acquired. This bacterium infects >50% of the global population and is a recognized type I human carcinogen. H.

CCB is Involved in Actin-Based Axonal Transport of Selected Synaptic Proteins.

Synapse formation, maturation, and turnover require a finely regulated transport system that delivers selected cargos to specific synapses. However, the supporting mechanisms of this process are not fully understood. The present study unravels a new molecular system for vesicle-based axonal transport of proteins in male and female flies ().