Asymmetric [Dy2] molecules deposited into micro-SQUID susceptometers: characterization of their magnetic integrity.

The controlled integration of magnetic molecules into superconducting circuits is key to developing hybrid quantum devices. Herein, we study [Dy2] molecular dimers deposited into micro-SQUID susceptometers. The results of magnetic, heat capacity and magnetic resonance experiments, backed by theoretical calculations, show that each [Dy2] dimer fulfills the main requisites to encode a two-spin quantum processor.

Exploring the genetic background of the botulism neurotoxin BoNT/B2 in Spain.

To determine whether the neurotoxin BoNT/B2 causing botulism in Spain is clonal, the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of from food-borne episodes and infant cases of the condition were explored. The botulinum toxin gene () subtype, the variable region of the flagellin gene (VR), and a seven-gene multi-locus sequence type were examined by sequencing 37 BoNT-positive cultures obtained over the period 2010 to 2022. Out of 37 botulism events, 16 food-borne episodes and 16 infant cases were associated with 2.

Recent advances in sensing the inter-biomolecular interactions at the nanoscale - A comprehensive review of AFM-based force spectroscopy.

Biomolecular interactions underpin most processes inside the cell. Hence, a precise and quantitative understanding of molecular association and dissociation events is crucial, not only from a fundamental perspective, but also for the rational design of biomolecular platforms for state-of-the-art biomedical and industrial applications. In this context, atomic force microscopy (AFM) appears as an invaluable experimental technique, allowing the measurement of the mechanical strength of biomolecular complexes to provide a quantitative characterization of their interaction properties from a single molecule perspective.

Prevalence of post-COVID-19 in patients with fibromyalgia: a comparative study with other inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of post-COVID-19 (PC) in fibromyalgia (FM) patients.

Methods: Retrospective, multi-centric, observational study, comparing a group of FM patients (FM group) with another group of patients with other rheumatic diseases (RD group). COVID-19 diagnosis was established by positive polymerase chain reaction or antigen during acute infection or by positive antibodies thereafter.

Effect of intermittent induced aeration on nitrogen removal and denitrifying-bacterial community structure in Cork and gravel vertical flow pilot-scale treatment wetlands.

In this work, we have evaluated the impact of intermittent induced aeration in total nitrogen (TN), ammonia (NH-N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO-N) removal in four pilot-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCW) (two aerated two non-aerated) using cork by-product or gravel as the filter material and planted with . Both aerated and non-aerated systems achieved high COD and BOD elimination rates (≥ 90%) at the end of the 5-month test period. However, the aerated systems presented maximal COD and BOD removal from the third month of operation onwards since air supply favored the oxidative bioprocesses occurring within the wetlands.

Early-Life Stress Reprograms Stress-Coping Abilities in Male and Female Juvenile Rats.

Prenatal stress (PS) is a major risk factor for the development of emotional disorders in adulthood that may be mediated by an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress. Although the early onset of stress-related disorders is recognized as a major public health problem, to date, there are relatively few studies that have examined the incidence of early-life stressors in younger individuals. In this study, we assessed PS impact on the stress-coping response of juvenile offspring in behavioral tests and in the induced molecular changes in the hippocampus.

Protein -Fucosyltransferase 1 Undergoes Interdomain Flexibility in Solution.

Protein -fucosyltransferase 1 (PoFUT1) is a GT-B fold enzyme that fucosylates proteins containing EGF-like repeats. GT-B glycosyltransferases have shown a remarkable grade of plasticity adopting closed and open conformations as a way of tuning their catalytic cycle, a feature that has not been observed for PoFUT1. Here, we analyzed PoFUT1 (PoFUT1) conformational behavior in solution by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (SMF-FRET).

Precision Teaching and Tap Dance Instruction.

The purpose of this study was (a) to use a precision-teaching (PT) framework to design, train, and evaluate a tap-dancing training sequence and (b) to evaluate fluency outcomes as a function of training tap dance components to optimal frequencies. The study trained a series of 8 tap-dancing steps to 4 novice dancers and evaluated the effects on untrained components and probes of retention, stability, endurance, and application. The study also included a control participant who only completed application probes.

Early postnatal neuroactive steroid manipulation differentially affects recognition memory and passive avoidance performance in male rats.

Early postnatal neuroactive steroids (NAS) play a significant role in the neurodevelopment. Their alteration can modify adult behavior, such as anxiety or learning. For this reason, we set out to observe if neonatal NAS levels alteration affects two types of learning implying low or high levels of emotional content, such as recognition memory and aversive learning respectively.

Enhanced Molecular Spin-Photon Coupling at Superconducting Nanoconstrictions.

We combine top-down and bottom-up nanolithography to optimize the coupling of small molecular spin ensembles to 1.4 GHz on-chip superconducting resonators. Nanoscopic constrictions, fabricated with a focused ion beam at the central transmission line, locally concentrate the microwave magnetic field.

Early postnatal allopregnanolone levels alteration and adult behavioral disruption in rats: Implication for drug abuse.

Several studies have highlighted the role that early postnatal levels of allopregnanolone play in the development of the CNS and adult behavior. Changes in allopregnanolone levels related to stress have been observed during early postnatal periods, and perinatal stress has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders. The alteration of early postnatal allopregnanolone levels in the first weeks of life has been proven to affect adult behaviors, such as anxiety-related behaviors and the processing of sensory inputs.

Early post-natal neuroactive steroid manipulation modulates ondansetron effects on initial periods of alcohol consumption in rats.

Neuroactive steroids (NS) such as allopregnanolone are crucial for brain development and adult behaviour. Early post-natal alterations of NS by administering finasteride induce a decrease in the sensitivity to stimulant effects of low alcohol doses, an increase in alcohol consumption, and a decrease in ventrostriatal dopamine and serotonin levels. The aim of the present study is to observe if the effects of the 5HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron on initial alcohol consumption are modulated by post-natal NS manipulation.

In Vivo and In Vitro Neuronal Plasticity Modulation by Epigenetic Regulators.

Prenatal stress (PS) induces molecular changes that alter neural connectivity, increasing the risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we analyzed -in the hippocampus of adult rats exposed to PS- the epigenetic signature mediating the PS-induced neuroplasticity changes. Furthermore, using cultured hippocampal neurons, we investigated the effects on neuroplasticity of an epigenetic modulator.

Non-invasive biomarkers of fetal brain development reflecting prenatal stress: An integrative multi-scale multi-species perspective on data collection and analysis.

Prenatal stress (PS) impacts early postnatal behavioural and cognitive development. This process of 'fetal programming' is mediated by the effects of the prenatal experience on the developing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS). We derive a multi-scale multi-species approach to devising preclinical and clinical studies to identify early non-invasively available pre- and postnatal biomarkers of PS.

Glutaminolysis drives membrane trafficking to promote invasiveness of breast cancer cells.

The role of glutaminolysis in providing metabolites to support tumour growth is well-established, but the involvement of glutamine metabolism in invasive processes is yet to be elucidated. Here we show that normal mammary epithelial cells consume glutamine, but do not secrete glutamate. Indeed, low levels of extracellular glutamate are necessary to maintain epithelial homoeostasis, and provision of glutamate drives disruption of epithelial morphology and promotes key characteristics of the invasive phenotype such as lumen-filling and basement membrane disruption.

Molecular basis for the integration of environmental signals by FurB from sp. PCC 7120.

FUR (Ferric uptake regulator) proteins are among the most important families of transcriptional regulators in prokaryotes, often behaving as global regulators. In the cyanobacterium PCC 7120, FurB (Zur, Zinc uptake regulator) controls zinc and redox homeostasis through the repression of target genes in a zinc-dependent manner. , non-specific binding of FurB to DNA elicits protection against oxidative damage and avoids cleavage by deoxyribonuclease I.

Prenatal stress increases adult vulnerability to cocaine reward without affecting pubertal anxiety or novelty response.

Prenatal stress (PS) induces long-lasting molecular alterations in brain circuits of the offspring and increases the propensity to develop neuropsychiatric diseases during adulthood, including mood disorders and drug addiction. A major goal of this study was to assess the impact of PS on pubertal behaviour and adult vulnerability to cocaine-induced conditioning place preference (CPP). We therefore evaluated pubertal novelty response and anxiety-like behaviour in control (C) and PS rats, and then, we examined cocaine-induced CPP in those animals during adulthood.

Prenatal Stress and Neurodevelopmental Plasticity: Relevance to Psychopathology.

Prenatal development constitutes a critical time for shaping adult behaviour and may set the stage for vulnerability to disease later in life. A wealth of information from humans as well as from animal research has revealed that exposure to hostile conditions during gestation may result in a series of coordinated biological responses aimed at enhancing the probability of survival, but could also increase the susceptibility to mental illness. Prenatal stress has been linked to abnormal cognitive, behavioural and psychosocial outcomes both in animals and in humans, but the underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms remain largely unknown.

The Experience of Implementing Urban HEART Barcelona: a Tool for Action.

Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (HEART) is a tool developed by the World Health Organization whose objective is to provide evidence on urban health inequalities so as to help to decide the best interventions aimed to promote urban health equity. The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of implementing Urban HEART in Barcelona city, both the adaptation of Urban HEART to the city of Barcelona, its use as a means of identifying and monitoring health inequalities among city neighbourhoods, and the difficulties and barriers encountered throughout the process. Although ASPB public health technicians participated in the Urban HEART Advisory Group, had large experience in health inequalities analysis and research and showed interest in implementing the tool, it was not until 2015, when the city council was governed by a new left-wing party for which reducing health inequalities was a priority that Urban HEART could be used.

Effects of neonatal and adolescent neuroactive steroid manipulation on locomotor activity induced by ethanol in male wistar rats.

Neonatal neuroactive steroids levels are crucial for brain development. Alterations of neonatal neuroactive steroids levels induce anxiolytic-like effects and improve exploration in novel environments in adulthood. These behavioural traits, i.

Unravelling the Link Between Prenatal Stress, Dopamine and Substance Use Disorder.

Substance use disorder (SUD) refers to the detrimental use of psychoactive substances and it is related to a cluster of behavioural, cognitive and physiological dysfunctions indicating that the individual continues using the substance despite significant substance-related problems. Although it is one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric diseases affecting society worldwide, the mechanism underlying the vulnerability of certain individuals is not well understood yet. It is now widely accepted that, in addition to genetic factors, environmental adversities during critical stages of development of an organism could also be considered as risk factors that contribute to SUD.

On the origin of the highest ozone episodes in Spain.

The 2000-2015 occurrences of the highest ozone (O) pollution episodes in Spain were evaluated to investigate their origin. To this end, data series available for urban and regional background (UB and RB), traffic (TR) and industrial (IN) sites were analysed separately and intercompared. Results evidenced that during these 16years mean O levels in the RB sites did not change significantly, and remained constantly high.

CTX-M-15-H30Rx-ST131 subclone is one of the main causes of healthcare-associated ESBL-producing Escherichia coli bacteraemia of urinary origin in Spain.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli causing healthcare-associated (HCA) and community-associated (CA) bacteraemia of urinary origin (BUO) in Spain.

Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted at eight hospitals from different Spanish geographical areas (2010-11). BUO episodes (n = 425) were classified as HCA (n = 215) and CA (n = 210), and one blood isolate per episode was collected.

Long-term consequences of prenatal stress and neurotoxicants exposure on neurodevelopment.

There is a large consensus that the prenatal environment determines the susceptibility to pathological conditions later in life. The hypothesis most widely accepted is that exposure to insults inducing adverse conditions in-utero may have negative effects on the development of target organs, disrupting homeostasis and increasing the risk of diseases at adulthood. Several models have been proposed to investigate the fetal origins of adult diseases, but although these approaches hold true for almost all diseases, particular attention has been focused on disorders related to the central nervous system, since the brain is particularly sensitive to alterations of the microenvironment during early development.

Neonatal finasteride administration decreases dopamine release in nucleus accumbens after alcohol and food presentation in adult male rats.

Endogenous levels of the neurosteroid (NS) allopregnanolone (AlloP) during neonatal stages are crucial for the correct development of the central nervous system (CNS). In a recent work we reported that the neonatal administration of AlloP or finasteride (Finas), an inhibitor of the enzyme 5α-reductase needed for AlloP synthesis, altered the voluntary consumption of ethanol and the ventrostriatal dopamine (DA) levels in adulthood, suggesting that neonatal NS manipulations can increase alcohol abuse vulnerability in adulthood. Moreover, other authors have associated neonatal NS alterations with diverse dopaminergic (DAergic) alterations.