A.3 Use of diffusion-weighted imaging to distinguish seizure-related change from limbic encephalitis

Background: Limbic encephalitis (LE) classically causes medial temporal lobe T2-hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but this can also occur with seizure activity. Identifying neuroimaging patterns that can distinguish between LE and seizure activity may help avoid diagnostic confusion in such challenging cases. Methods: Through retrospective review of Mayo Clinic patients who had medial temporal lobe T2-hyperintensity on MRI, we identified non-LE patients with seizure-related medial temporal lobe T2-hyperintensity. Their diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was reviewed to look for diffusion restriction patterns potentially unique to seizure activity. Next, a control cohort of LE patients with medial temporal lobe T2-hyperintensity was identified, and their DWI was reviewed to see if these diffusion restriction patterns could help distinguish seizure activity from LE. Results: We identified 10 non-LE patients who had medial temporal lobe T2-hyperintensity due to seizure activity; 9/10 had one of two medial temporal lobe diffusion restriction patterns we uncovered as being potentially unique to seizure activity. In contrast, only 5/57 LE patients had one of these diffusion restriction patterns identified, all of whom had seizures reported. Conclusions: We report two diffusion restriction patterns that may help distinguish seizure activity from LE. Recognition of these diffusion restriction patterns should prompt evaluation for possible seizure activity.

Comparative Analysis of Geolocation Information through Mobile-Devices under Different COVID-19 Mobility Restriction Patterns in Spain

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world in unprecedented and unpredictable ways. Human mobility, being the greatest facilitator for the spread of the virus, is at the epicenter of this change. In order to study mobility under COVID-19, to evaluate the efficiency of mobility restriction policies, and to facilitate a better response to future crisis, we need to understand all possible mobility data sources at our disposal. Our work studies private mobility sources, gathered from mobile-phones and released by large technological companies. These data are of special interest because, unlike most public sources, it is focused on individuals rather than on transportation means. Furthermore, the sample of society they cover is large and representative. On the other hand, these data are not directly accessible for anonymity reasons. Thus, properly interpreting its patterns demands caution. Aware of that, we explore the behavior and inter-relations of private sources of mobility data in the context of Spain. This country represents a good experimental setting due to both its large and fast pandemic peak and its implementation of a sustained, generalized lockdown. Our work illustrates how a direct and naive comparison between sources can be misleading, as certain days (e.g., Sundays) exhibit a directly adverse behavior. After understanding their particularities, we find them to be partially correlated and, what is more important, complementary under a proper interpretation. Finally, we confirm that mobile-data can be used to evaluate the efficiency of implemented policies, detect changes in mobility trends, and provide insights into what new normality means in Spain.

Characterisations of Probiotic Lactobacillus Strains by Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA)

Twelve probiotic Lactobacillus strains for poultry were characterised by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using Sau3AI, TaqI, HaeIII and AluI restriction endonucleases. Species-specific and strain-specific restriction patterns were observed from the bacterial strains. Numerical analysis of composite analysis of ARDRA exhibited D value of 0.8456. Whereas, the caculated D values of ARDRA patterns generated by Sau3AI, TaqI, HaeIII and AluI were 0.8309, 0.8382,0.8088 and 0.8088, repectively. Composite analysis of ARDRA was the most discriminative method when compared to the individual analysis. ARDRA could distinguished L. reuteri C 10 and L. panis C 17 into single strains. The 16S rRNA gene restriction patterns were also able to group L. gallinarum I 16 and I 26 into single strains. Lactobacillus brevis I 12, I 23, I 25, I 211 and I 218 seem to be multiple clones of the same bacterial strain as are L. reuteri C 1 and C 16. ARDRA is a valuable fingerprinting method to discriminate probiotic Lactobacillus strains.

From Fish Eggs to Fish Name: Caviar Species Discrimination by COIBar-RFLP, an Efficient Molecular Approach to Detect Fraud in the Caviar Trade

The demand for caviar is growing as is its price on the market. Due to the decline of true caviar production from sturgeons, eggs from other fish species and other animals have been used as substitutes for caviar. The labels on these products should indicate the species from which the eggs were derived, but the label can be misleading in some cases. In this context, species identification using DNA analysis is crucial for traceability and authentication of caviar products. In this work, we applied the COIBar-RFLP procedure to obtain species-specific endonuclease restriction patterns useful to discriminate “caviar” species. The tested caviar products were identified as originating from eight species: Acipenser transmontanus, A. gueldenstaedtii, A. stellatus, A. baerii, Mallotus villosus, Huso huso, Cyclopterus lumpus and Eumicrotremus orbis. The results demonstrated that 14% of the caviar products examined have a label that does not indicate the species from which the eggs were originated. The MboI restriction enzyme produced specific profiles discriminating the eight species, confirming that the COIBar-RFLP is a useful approach for routine screening of seafood products due to its ease and rapid execution, as the results of screening can be obtained within 7 h, by-passing the need for sequencing.

High incidence of MDR and XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates obtained from patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia in Greece, Italy and Spain as part of the MagicBullet clinical trial

Objectives To characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility, molecular epidemiology and carbapenem resistance mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates recovered from respiratory tract samples from patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia enrolled in the MagicBullet clinical trial. Methods Isolates were collected from 53 patients from 12 hospitals in Spain, Italy and Greece. Susceptibility was determined using broth microdilution and Etest. MALDI-TOF MS was used to detect carbapenemase activity and carbapenemases were identified by PCR and sequencing. Molecular epidemiology was investigated using PFGE and MLST. Results Of the 53 isolates, 2 (3.8%) were considered pandrug resistant (PDR), 19 (35.8%) were XDR and 16 (30.2%) were MDR. Most (88.9%) of the isolates from Greece were MDR, XDR or PDR, whereas fewer of the isolates from Spain (33.3%) and Italy (43.5%) showed antibiotic resistance. Three Greek isolates were resistant to colistin. Overall, the rates of resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates to imipenem, ciprofloxacin, ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam were 64.1%, 54.7%, 22.6% and 24.5%, respectively. All isolates resistant to ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam (Greece, n = 10; and Italy, n = 2) carried blaVIM-2. Spanish isolates were susceptible to the new drug combinations. Forty-eight restriction patterns and 27 STs were documented. Sixty percent of isolates belonged to six STs, including the high-risk clones ST-111, ST-175 and ST-235. Conclusions MDR/XDR isolates were highly prevalent, particularly in Greece. The most effective antibiotic against P. aeruginosa was colistin, followed by ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam. blaVIM-2 is associated with resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam, and related to highly resistant phenotypes. ST-111 was the most frequent and disseminated clone and the clonal diversity was lower in XDR and PDR strains.

Genetic Heterogeneity ofAlicyclobacillusStrains Revealed by RFLP Analysis ofvdcRegion andrpoBGene

PCR-RFLP targeting of the 16S rDNA andrpoBgenes, as well as thevdcregion, was applied to identify and differentiate between the spoilage and non-spoilageAlicyclobacillusspecies. Eight reference strains and 75 strains isolated from spoiled juices, juice concentrates, drinks, its intermediates, and fresh apples were subject to study. Hin6I restriction patterns of the 16S rDNA gene enabled distinguishing between all the species analyzed, while therpoBgene andvdcgene cluster analysis also revealed that there were two major types among theA. acidoterrestrisisolates, one similar to the reference strainA. acidoterrestrisDSM 2498, and the other similar to the reference strainA. acidoterrestrisATCC 49025. Heterogeneity was also observed among theA. acidocaldariusisolates. RFLP analysis of the 16S rDNA andrpoBgenes, as well asvdcregion, can be used successfully in the identification and research of intraspecies heterogeneity of theAlicyclobacillusspecies.