Ramón y Cajal Hospital
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Neurologist at the CSUR Multiple Sclerosis Unit of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital and member of the Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research
President of the Spanish Glaucoma Society (SEG), head of the ophthalmology department at the Ramón y Cajal Hospital and professor of ophthalmology at the University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH).
Dermatologist specializing in vitiligo at the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid.
Dermatologist at the Hospital Ramón y Cajal and Master in Tropical Medicine at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, member and one of the spokespersons of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) for monkeypox
Head of the Medical Oncology Service at the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, associate professor at the University of Alcalá and former president of the Federation of Spanish Scientific and Medical Associations (FACME)
Researcher at the Ramón y Cajal Hospital and member of the Specialised Group for the Study of the Human Microbiota of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC-GEMBIOTA)
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and one of its potential risk factors is high myopia. Its early diagnosis is crucial, but also difficult due to the absence of symptoms. With the help of experts, we answer the main questions about this eye disease.
‘Bacterial signatures’ from genital areas could serve as a forensic tool to identify perpetrators of sexual assault, even if there is no trace of sperm, according to a study published in the journal iScience, by the Cell group. After sequencing the DNA of bacteria from genital samples from 12 stable couples, the authors show that a transfer of bacterial species occurs during intercourse, allowing the identification of each person’s own genital microbiome or ‘sexome’.
Every 11 February is celebrated as World Medical Women's Day, which coincides with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, although its commemoration refers to Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to obtain a medical degree in the USA, in 1849. More than a century and a half later, despite the increasing number of women graduates, inequalities persist in the profession, especially in senior positions.
Research in mice shows that the gut microbiota of pregnant mice influences the development of stem cells in their offspring. Changes in the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila in the maternal microbiota alter the proliferation of intestinal and neural cells in the offspring, according to the study published in Cell Stem Cell.
Rituximab and ocrelizumab are two antibodies with a similar mechanism of action that are used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Although the former had not shown benefits in primary progressive multiple sclerosis — which affects between 10% and 15% of patients — the latter is approved for this form of the disease. Now, a study conducted in France with more than 1,000 patients has found no benefits with either treatment, as they did not slow the progression of disability in these individuals. The results are published in the journal Neurology.
After the first year of life, the father's contribution to his baby's microbiota is comparable to the mother's contribution, whether born vaginally or by caesarean section, says a study published in Cell Host & Microbe. In addition, faecal microbiome transplants from the mother to her baby can restore the microbiome in the case of caesarean birth, says the study, which included 74 babies and involved Spanish participants.
Researchers have found specific antibodies in the blood of patients years before they showed symptoms of multiple sclerosis. This group of antibodies was present in 10% of the 250 people who later developed the disease, and were part of a sample of over 10 million US military personnel. The finding could have potential for early detection of multiple sclerosis, says the research team in a paper published in Nature Medicine.
Two studies have found changes in the microbiome of patients affected by chronic fatigue syndrome. In particular, they have found a decrease in both butyrate and certain bacteria that produce butyrate. Butyrate is a factor related to the protection of the intestinal barrier and appears to play a role in the regulation of the immune system. Both papers are published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.
An international team including researchers from Spain has analysed the level of exchange of microbial strains between different generations (vertical transmission) and between people who share a household or are close contacts (horizontal transmission). The analysis, published in the journal Nature, is based on about 9,700 microbiome samples from the faeces and saliva of people with different lifestyles from countries. According to the research, the transmission of bacteria is more frequent for the mouth microbiome than for the gut microbiome among people living together.
The establishment of the baby's microbiota occurs around the time of birth, when it receives bacteria directly from the mother. A study in the journal Cell suggests that genes can also be transmitted between them by horizontal transfer, without the need for the passage of these micro-organisms.