Multidrug resistance of pathogenic bacteria has become a public health crisis that requires the urgent design of new antibacterial drugs such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Seeking to obtain new, lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-based synthetic peptides as viable early-stage candidates for future development as AMPs against clinically relevant bacteria, we designed, synthesized and screened three new cationic peptides derived from bovine LfcinB. These peptides contain at least one RRWQWR motif and differ by the copy number (monomeric, dimeric or tetrameric) and structure (linear or branched) of this motif. They comprise a linear palindromic peptide (RWQWRWQWR), a dimeric peptide (RRWQWR)2KAhx and a tetrameric peptide (RRWQWR)4K2Ahx2C2. They were screened for antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212 and ATCC 51575 strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145 and ATCC 27853 strains) and clinical isolates of two Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). All three peptides exhibited greater activity than did the reference peptide, LfcinB (17–31), which contains a single linear RRWQWR motif. Against the ATCC reference strains, the three new peptides exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) values of 3.1–198.0 μM and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 25–200 μM, and against the clinical isolates, MIC50 values of 1.6–75.0 μM and MBC values of 12.5–100 μM. However, the tetrameric peptide was also found to be strongly hemolytic (49.1% at 100 μM). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that in the dimeric and tetrameric peptides, the RRWQWR motif is exposed to the pathogen surface. Our results may inform the design of new, RRWQWR-based AMPs.

SUMMARYDietary supplementation with high levels of cobalt increases blood haemoglobin content and causes pulmonary hypertension (PH) in broiler chickens. Since cobalt, nickel and manganese can stimulate erythropoietin synthesis in vitro, a trial was conducted to investigate the effect of graded levels of dietary nickel and manganese on blood haemoglobin content and PH in broiler chickens. Results showed that dietary supplementation with high levels of Ni (494 parts/10 6 ), and to a lesser extent Mn (372 parts/10 6 ), significantly increases blood haemoglobin content and PH, as measured by the right ventricle weight to total ventricle weight ratio (RV/TV). Dietary Ni at 494 parts/10 6 significantly increases the incidence of ascites and right ventricular hypertrophy. Results show that dietary supplementation with high levels of Ni can be used as an experimental model to induce PH and ascites in broilers.

Two cases are presented of benign stenosis of the cardia secondary to fibrosis following antireflux surgery in which the patients developed a motor alteration in the esophageal body similar to that of achalasia of the cardia. There was a complete absence of contractions in one patient, which had developed over a long period of time, and a vigorous pattern in the other patient, which had evolved over a short period. In both cases, after surgical treatment of the stenosis, normal motility in the esophageal body returned.

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El presente estudio pretende analizar, ante el estado de emergencia sanitaria española (BOE Orden SND/232/2020) decretado por la pandemia del nuevo coronavirus 2019-nCoV, la situación en la que se encuentran los profesionales en formación del Servicio Murciano de Salud (SMS). Para ello se ha realizado un estudio descriptivo llevado a cabo a través de la recogida de datos mediante formulario directo, canalizado a través de la red que conforma el Comité de Empresa, habiéndose obtenido respuesta por parte de al menos un residente de cada uno de los servicios que conforman el SMS y alcanzando un tamaño de muestra que permite la total representatividad del colectivo a estudio. Se trata de un estudio que destaca por la rapidez de reclutamiento de la muestra y la rapidez en su redacción, lo que sirve como una importante herramienta para condicionar futuras políticas y decisiones en el ámbito de los profesionales en formación. La falta de acceso a material de protección por más de la mitad de la población a estudio junto con dificultades para el acceso a información actualizada por parte de la administración, son algunos de los resultados obtenidos tras el análisis de las respuestas. En general, existe una mayoría de residentes que continúan con su labor asistencial, que mantienen el número de guardias mensuales, que piensa que recibe formación oficial adecuada y que se está realizando un plan de contingencia apropiado. The present study intends to analyze the situation of professionals in training in the Murcian Health Service (SMS) during the state of sanitary emergency in Spain (BOE Order SND/232/2020) due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV. To achieve this objective, a descriptive study has been carried out through the collection of data via direct form, channeled through the network that makes up the Comité de Empresa. A response from at least one resident of each of the services that make up the SMS has been obtained. This has allowed a sample size that represents a large amount of the group under study. This is a study that stands out for the rapid acquisition and analysis of the sample, which serves as an important tool to condition future policies and decisions in the field of professionals in training. The lack of access to protection material for more than half of the population under study, as well as difficulties in accessing updated information from the administration are some of the results obtained after analyzing the responses. Overall, there is a majority of residents that continue with their work assistance and which maintain the same number of 24-hour shifts. It is also a main opinion that there is an appropriate health training and contingency plan against COVID-19.

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Introducción: la gastritis crónica atrófica (GCA) es una entidad clinicopatológica relacionada con cáncer gás- trico (CG) de tipo intestinal. Su principal causa es Helicobacter pylori. Actualmente, además del diagnóstico, se recomienda evaluar la extensión de la atrofia o de la metaplasia intestinal, para estadificar el riesgo de CG. El método más preciso para la atrofia es el OLGA, que exige 5 biopsias: 2 del cuerpo, 2 del antro y 1 de la in- cisura angularis, marcadas y enviadas en frascos separados. En Colombia, no se ha evaluado el rendimiento de OLGA en el estudio de la atrofia gástrica. Materiales y métodos: estudio de casos y controles. Los casos son pacientes en quienes se hizo el muestreo de biopsias para el OLGA. Los controles pacientes con menos de 5 biopsias gástricas, sin el muestreo del OLGA. Resultados: 1599 casos y 4191 controles. Edad promedio de los casos: 49±12 años versus controles 54±10 años (p: NS). H. pylori: 60% versus 57%. GCA en casos: 42% versus 26%. El 12,3% tenía OLGA III/IV y el 88%, OLGA 0, I o II, los cuales no ameritarían vigilancia endoscópica. Conclusión: el sistema OLGA permite detectar un 61,8% más de atrofia que la detectada con un muestreo insuficiente de biopsias gástricas. La mayoría de los casos (88%) tuvo bajo riesgo de CG (estado 0-II) y no se justificaría vigilancia endoscópica.