Estimating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.5 Spike-Directed Functional Antibody Levels From an Anti-Receptor Binding Domain Wuhan-Hu-1-Based Commercial Immunoassay Results.

We investigated whether antibody concentrations measured in plasma using the Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay (targeting the receptor binding domain, RBD) could estimate levels of Wuhan-Hu-1 and Omicron XBB.1.5 spike-directed antibodies with neutralizing ability (NtAb) or those mediating NK-cell activity.

Larvicidal and Oviposition Activity of Commercial Essential Oils of Ledeb., (Blanco) Benth., L. and Their Combinations Against .

is a vector responsible for the transmission of various arboviruses and is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the main public health problems in the world. This study evaluated the larvicidal and oviposition activity of essential oils from , and and their formulations. Chromatographic analysis by GCMS identified a total of 28, 52 and 18 compounds for the oils of the species , and , respectively.

Impact of automated nucleic acid extraction platforms on plasma Cytomegalovirus DNA loads quantitated by real-time PCR normalized to the 1st WHO international standard.

Introduction: The extent to which commercially available nucleic acid extraction platforms impact the magnitude of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA loads measured in plasma specimens by 1st WHO standard-normalized real-time PCR assays is uncertain.

Methods: This retrospective study compares the performance of Abbott m2000sp, Qiagen QIAsymphony SP, and KingFisher Flex platforms using plasma samples from allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients and plasma spiked with the CMV AD169 strain. The Abbott RealTime CMV PCR assay was used for CMV DNA quantitation.

The role of rapid multiplex molecular syndromic panels in the clinical management of infections in critically ill patients: an experts-opinion document.

Rapid multiplex molecular syndromic panels (RMMSP) (3 or more pathogens and time-to-results < 6 h) allow simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens and genotypic resistance markers. Their implementation has revolutionized the clinical landscape by significantly enhancing diagnostic accuracy and reducing time-to-results in different critical conditions. The current revision is a comprehensive but not systematic review of the literature.

Reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages with lipid nanosystems reduces PDAC tumor burden and liver metastasis.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) requires innovative therapeutic strategies to counteract its progression and metastatic potential. Since the majority of patients are diagnosed with advanced metastatic disease, treatment strategies targeting not only the primary tumor but also metastatic lesions are needed. Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) have emerged as central players, significantly influencing PDAC progression and metastasis.

The role of intraspecific mechanical and chemical signaling for mate and sexual recognition in male Tityus pusillus (Scorpiones, Buthidae).

Hydrophobic compounds present in the cuticular wax layer (CWL) of terrestrial arthropods protect them from dehydration and are also involved in chemical communication. However, the role of CWL compounds in the behavioral ecology of scorpions has been studied less often, with most investigations focusing on their responses to mechanical stimuli. In this study, we aimed to characterize the CWL composition of Tityus pusillus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) and examine the influence of CWL solvent extracts and movement on intraspecific mate and sexual recognition by males of this species.

New Insights into Mucosa-Associated Microbiota in Paired Tumor and Non-Tumor Adjacent Mucosal Tissues in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background/objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Increasing scientific evidence supports the idea that gut microbiota dysbiosis accompanies colorectal tumorigenesis, and these changes could be causative. Implementing gut microbiota analysis in clinical practice is limited by sample type, sequencing platform and taxonomic classification.

Community-Acquired Respiratory Virus Infections: A Threat to Long-Term survivors after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant?

Background: Studies on late community-acquired respiratory virus (CARV) infections in long-term allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) survivors are scarce, creating knowledge gaps on the epidemiology, risk of progression to lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD), and conditions linked to poor outcomes.

Patients And Methods: We included consecutive CARV infection episodes occurring up to six months after allo-HCT registered in our database from December 2013 to June 2023 at two Spanish transplant centers.

Results: Among 426 allo-HCT recipients, 1070 CARV episodes were recorded, 791 (74%) with only upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) and 279 (15%) progressing to LRTD, at a median of 18.

Responses to and detoxification of esculin in white-rot fungi.

Plant metabolites have a great potential for limiting the spread of harmful fungi. However, a better understanding of the mode-of-action of these molecules and the defense systems developed by fungi to resist them, is needed to assess the benefits/risks of using them as antifungal treatment. White-rot fungi are excellent models in this respect, as they have adapted to the hostile habitat that is wood.

Evaluating Medical Therapy Failure in Microbial Keratitis: Risk Factors and Management Alternatives.

Purpose: To describe the treatments used in cases of infectious keratitis and determine the risk factors associated with treatment failure, including prolonged infection duration, treatment modifications, and the need for surgical intervention.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective case series includes culture-proven microbial keratitis cases treated in nine hospitals in the region of Galicia, Spain, between 2010 and 2020.

Results: A total of 654 patients were included.

Confidence regulates feedback processing during human probabilistic learning.

Uncertainty presents a key challenge when learning how best to act to attain a desired outcome. People can report uncertainty in the form of confidence judgments, but how such judgments contribute to learning and subsequent decisions remains unclear. In a series of three experiments employing an operant learning task, we tested the hypothesis that confidence plays a central role in learning by regulating resource allocation to the seeking and processing of feedback.

Microbial keratitis in north-western Spain: a review of risk factors, microbiological profile and resistance patterns.

Purpose: To review the risk factors, clinical characteristics, and microbiological profiles of microbial keratitis cases, as well as the antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial isolates in the region of Galicia, Spain.

Methods: This retrospective case series includes patients with culture-positive non-viral microbial keratitis between 2010 and 2020, treated at nine hospitals within the region of Galicia, North-West Spain. The standard protocol involved Gram staining for bacterial infections and calcofluor white staining for fungal or amoebal infections, identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry or microscopy, and antimicrobial susceptibility interpreted according to EUCAST or CLSI guidelines.

Time to positivity of Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus In Neonatal Blood Cultures as an adjunct tool to help discriminate between sepsis and contamination.

Objective: To assess the usefulness of time to positivity (TTP) to distinguish between sepsis and contamination in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates.

Study Design: Unicentric retrospective observational. Medical records of 168 patients with suspected sepsis and positive blood culture for CoNS were reviewed.

Impact of the microscopic quality of endotracheal aspirates on the performance of the Filmarray® pneumonia plus panel in intensive care unit patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infection.

Purpose: We investigated how the microscopic quality of endotracheal aspirates (ETA) impacts the performance of the Filmarray® pneumonia plus panel (FA-PP) in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (IMV) with suspicion of lower respiratory tract bacterial infection (LRTBI).

Methods: The quality of ETA was categorized according to the number of leukocytes and buccal squamous epithelial (BSE)/field (100x magnification). G5 (< 10 BSE cells and > 25 leukocytes/field) and G4 (10-25 BSE cells and > 25 leukocytes/field) ETA were tested in parallel by the FA-PP and conventional semiquantitative culture.

Update on Cytomegalovirus Infection Management in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients. A Consensus Document of the Spanish Group for Hematopoietic Transplantation and Cell Therapy (GETH-TC).

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and in patients receiving novel hematological therapies. Its impact on morbidity and mortality necessitates effective management strategies. Despite recent advances in diagnostics and treatment, unresolved questions persist regarding monitoring and treatment, prompting the need for updated recommendations.

Impact of Long SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection on the Health Care Burden: Comparative Case-Control Study Between Omicron and Pre-Omicron Waves.

Background: Following the initial acute phase of COVID-19, health care resource use has escalated among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective: This study aimed to compare new diagnoses of long COVID and the demand for health services in the general population after the Omicron wave with those observed during the pre-Omicron waves, using similar assessment protocols for both periods and to analyze the influence of vaccination.

Methods: This matched retrospective case-control study included patients of both sexes diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or antigen tests in the hospital microbiology laboratory during the pandemic period regardless of whether the patients were hospitalized.

Essential oils of Eugenia spp. (myrtaceae) show in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis.

Bovine mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary glands, is mainly caused by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. While antibiotics are the primary treatment for this disease, their effectiveness is often diminished due to resistant strains and biofilm formation, creating the need for safer and more efficient therapies. Plant-based oil therapies, particularly those derived from the genus Eugenia, are gaining popularity due to their pharmacological potential and historical use.

Structure and rheology of the polysaccharides from Schizymenia dubyi: Isolation of an unusual glucurono-carrageenan.

The system of polysaccharides from Schizymenia dubyi (Nemastomatales) was investigated. It contains a mixture of hybrid dl galactans (SH-S) and carrageenan-like polysaccharides, which were separated by means of precipitation with KCl at high concentrations. The structural features of the carrageenan-like fraction (SH-I) were investigated by methylation analysis, desulfation, uronic acid reduction, and NMR spectroscopy.

Consensus Definitions of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection and Disease in Transplant Patients Including Resistant and Refractory CMV for Use in Clinical Trials: 2024 Update From the Transplant Associated Virus Infections Forum.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease are important causes of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. For the purpose of developing consistent reporting of CMV outcomes in clinical trials, definitions of CMV infection and disease were developed and most recently published in 2017. Since then, there have been major developments, including registration of new antiviral agents.