José Prieto

Cultural variation of leadership prototypes across 22 European countries.

This study sets out to test the assumption that concepts of leadership differ as a function of cultural differences in Europe and to identify dimensions which describe differences in leadership concepts across European countries. Middle-level managers (N = 6052) from 22 European countries rated 112 questionnaire items containing descriptions of leadership traits and behaviours. For each attribute respondents rated how well it fits their concept of an outstanding business leader. The findings support the assumption that leadership concepts are culturally endorsed. Specifically, clusters of European countries which share similar cultural values according to prior cross-cultural research (Ronen & Shenkar, 1985), also share similar leadership concepts. The leadership prototypicality dimensions found are highly correlated with cultural dimensions reported in a comprehensive cross-cultural study of contemporary Europe (Smith, Dugan, & Trompenaars, 1996). The ordering of countries on the leadership dimensions is considered a useful tool with which to model differences between leadership concepts of different cultural origin in Europe. Practical implications for cross-cultural management, both in European and non-European settings, are discussed.

National culture and leadership profiles in Europe: Some results from the GLOBE study.

Different cultural groups may have different conceptions of what leadership should entail, i.e. different leadership prototypes. Several earlier studies revealed that within Europe various cultural clusters can be distinguished (Hofstede, 1991; Ronen & Shenkar, 1985). Using recent data from the GLOBE project, this article discusses similarities and differences on culture and leadership dimensions among 21 European countries. The results show that two broad clusters or patterns of cultural values can be distinguished, contrasting the North-Western and South-Eastern part of Europe. Within these clusters, differences in leadership prototypes to a certain extent mirror differences in culture. On the basis of these results it is hardly possible to speak of a single typically European culture or one distinct European management style. However, on some dimensions European scores are different from at least some other regions in the world.

Spatial distribution and risk factors of Brucellosis in Iberian wild ungulates

BackgroundThe role of wildlife as a brucellosis reservoir for humans and domestic livestock remains to be properly established. The aim of this work was to determine the aetiology, apparent prevalence, spatial distribution and risk factors for brucellosis transmission in several Iberian wild ungulates.MethodsA multi-species indirect immunosorbent assay (iELISA) using Brucella S-LPS antigen was developed. In several regions having brucellosis in livestock, individual serum samples were taken between 1999 and 2009 from 2,579 wild bovids, 6,448 wild cervids and4,454 Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa), and tested to assess brucellosis apparent prevalence. Strains isolated from wild boar were characterized to identify the presence of markers shared with the strains isolated from domestic pigs.ResultsMean apparent prevalence below 0.5% was identified in chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica), and red deer (Cervus elaphus). Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), mouflon (Ovis aries) and Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) tested were seronegative. Only one red deer and one Iberian wild goat resulted positive in culture, isolating B. abortus biovar 1 and B. melitensis biovar 1, respectively. Apparent prevalence in wild boar ranged from 25% to 46% in the different regions studied, with the highest figures detected in South-Central Spain. The probability of wild boar being positive in the iELISA was also affected by age, age-by-sex interaction, sampling month, and the density of outdoor domestic pigs. A total of 104 bacterial isolates were obtained from wild boar, being all identified as B. suis biovar 2. DNA polymorphisms were similar to those found in domestic pigs.ConclusionsIn conclusion, brucellosis in wild boar is widespread in the Iberian Peninsula, thus representing an important threat for domestic pigs. By contrast, wild ruminants were not identified as a significant brucellosis reservoir for livestock.

Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates with Reduced Susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin in Spain: Clonal Diversity and Appearance of Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Epidemic Clones

ABSTRACT Analysis of the pulsed-field gel electrophoretic profiles of 82 pneumococcal isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (RSC) and of 90 co-occurring susceptible isolates indicates a considerable genetic diversity among isolates with RCS and points to a close relation between the two groups. This finding suggests that pneumococci with RCS emerge through independent mutational events.

Outbreak of common midwife toad virus in alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) in Northern Spain: a comparative pathological study of an emerging ranavirus.

This report describes the isolation and characterisation of the common midwife toad virus (CMTV) from juvenile alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toad (CMT) tadpoles (Alytes obstetricans) in the Picos de Europa National Park in Northern Spain in August 2008. A comparative pathological and immunohistochemical study was carried out using anti-CMTV polyclonal serum. In the kidneys, glomeruli had the most severe histological lesions in CMT tadpoles, while both glomeruli and renal tubular epithelial cells exhibited foci of necrosis in juvenile alpine newts. Viral antigens were detected by immunohistochemical labelling mainly in the kidneys of CMT tadpoles and in ganglia of juvenile alpine newts. This is the first report of ranavirus infection in the alpine newt, the second known species to be affected by CMTV in the past 2 years.

Effects of Specific Antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae on Pharmacodynamic Parameters of β-Lactams in a Mouse Sepsis Model

ABSTRACT A dose-ranging study to investigate the in vivo effects of the presence of specific antibodies on the efficacy of β-lactam treatment of sepsis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (non-β-lactam-susceptible serotype 6B isolate) was performed with a BALB/c mouse model. Hyperimmune serum was obtained from mice immunized with the heat-inactivated strain. The rate of mortality was 100% in nontreated animals in the absence of specific antibodies. A single injection of a one-half or one-quarter dilution of hyperimmune serum produced 60 to 40% survival rates. In the absence of specific antibodies, the minimal effective doses of amoxicillin and cefotaxime that produced survival rates of 100 and 80% were 25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight (three times a day for up to six doses), respectively. These doses produced times that the levels in serum remained above the MIC (ΔT > MICs) ≈30% of the dosing interval. When specific antibodies were present (by administration of a one-half or one-quarter dilution of hyperimmune serum), the minimal effective doses of the antibiotics were 3.12 and 6.25 mg/kg (≈8 times lower), with the ΔT > MICs being approximately 3 and 5% of the dosing interval for amoxicillin and cefotaxime, respectively. This in vivo combined pharmacodynamic effect offers possibilities that can be used to address penicillin resistance.

Infection of Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) with Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium complex in Spain

The prevalence, distribution and pathology related to infection with Mycobacterium bovis and other mycobacteria were determined in trapped (n=36) and road-killed (n=121) badgers in Spain from 2006 to 2010. The prevalence of M. bovis based on bacteriological culture from road-killed badgers was 8/121 (6.6%) and from trapped badgers was 0/36 (0%). Tuberculosis/M. bovis infection was evident in 15/121 (12.4%) road-killed badgers when bacteriology and histopathology were combined. Mycobacterium avium complex was isolated by culture from the tracheal aspirate of 1/36 (2.8%) trapped badgers and from tissue pools from 8/121 (6.6%) road-killed badgers.

Levofloxacin plus rifampicin conservative treatment of 25 early staphylococcal infections of osteosynthetic devices for rigid internal fixation

Therapeutic conclusions for staphylococcal implant infections treated with debridement and implant retention can only be drawn from a small series. To this aim, data from patients with implant staphylococcal infections (1998-2006) treated with debridement and implant retention were retrospectively reviewed. Infections were defined by staphylococci isolation (two or more consecutive debridement or three sinus tract discharge samples) along with clinical criteria. Patients received oral levofloxacin plus rifampicin for >or=6 weeks after the resolution of signs/symptoms and C-reactive protein normalisation. Failure was defined as lack of response or recurrence of signs/symptoms and/or sinus tract bacterial isolation during therapy or follow-up and/or implant removal. Twenty-five patients (53.2+/-20.8 years; 48% males) were included, 12 with spinal infections and 13 with limb implant infections. Diagnosis was performed from debridement material (72%) and sinus tract discharge (28%) (11 Staphylococcus aureus and 14 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS)). Time from surgery to symptom onset was higher in CoNS infections compared with S. aureus infections (21.6+/-9.3 days vs. 12.6+/-5.2 days; P=0.007). Seven patients (28%) were failures, with no differences between cured patients with respect to age, sex, infection site, time from surgery to symptom onset, sinus tract diagnosis and aetiology. Longer symptom duration prior to attendance was observed in failures (5.7+/-6.2 months vs. 1.4+/-0.6 months; P=0.04). Levofloxacin plus rifampicin showed efficacy in implant infections, which was higher for short duration of symptoms.

Horizontal gene transmission of the cfr gene to MRSA and Enterococcus: role of Staphylococcus epidermidis as a reservoir and alternative pathway for the spread of linezolid resistance

OBJECTIVES Linezolid resistance mediated by the cfr gene represents a global concern due to its dissemination among multiresistant nosocomial pathogens such as MRSA and Enterococcus. In the present work, we have evaluated the in vitro transmission of cfr pSCFS7-like plasmids from two Staphylococcus epidermidis ST2 strains (SE45 and SE50) isolated in Spanish hospitals, to clinical MRSA and Enterococcus spp. isolates obtained in Japan, a country in which cfr has not been detected yet. We have also investigated alternative mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer involved in the spread of the cfr gene. METHODS MRSA (n = 16) and Enterococcus spp. (n = 8) clinical isolates were used as recipients in conjugative experiments. Bacteriophage-mediated transmission was tested using MR83a phage and N315, COL and Mu50 strains. A transformation assay was carried out using a natural competent strain derived from N315. RESULTS The SE45 strain was able to transfer the cfr gene to all strains tested, while transmission from SE50 was observed only to a few strains and with less efficiency. No transmission was observed to Enterococcus spp. isolates. Even though conjugation is thought to be the main mechanism of cfr dissemination, we have demonstrated that transduction can be considered an alternative pathway for transmission of the cfr gene between MRSA strains. However, the results suggest an absence of transmission by natural transformation. CONCLUSIONS Linezolid resistance mediated by cfr vectors, such as pSCFS7-like plasmids, can be efficiently transferred to clinical MRSA in Japanese isolates. After reaching the staphylococcal pool, the cfr gene could be spread among MRSA strains by either conjugation or transduction.

In vitro interference of tigecycline at subinhibitory concentrations on biofilm development by Enterococcus faecalis

OBJECTIVES Since biofilm formation is the hallmark of Enterococcus faecalis isolates, the aim of this study was to quantify biofilm formation in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of tigecycline. METHODS Interference of tigecycline on biofilm formation was spectrophotometrically quantified using 20 biofilm-producing E. faecalis isolates with tigecycline MICs of 0.12 (8 strains) or 0.25 mg/L (12 strains). Biofilm production was measured in antibiotic-free tryptic soy broth supplemented with 1% glucose and compared with biofilm production in the same medium with tigecycline at subinhibitory concentrations (0.25× or 0.5× MIC, similar to trough concentrations in serum or concentrations in the colon after a standard dose) by reading the optical density at 450 nm (OD(450)) after staining with Crystal Violet. RESULTS In the presence of subinhibitory tigecycline concentrations, pooled OD(450) values for the 20 strains [median (IQR)] were significantly lower than those for controls: 0.468 (0.379-0.516) for antibiotic-free controls versus 0.295 (0.200-0.395) for 0.25× MIC tigecycline (P < 0.001) and 0.287 (0.245-0.479) for 0.5× MIC tigecycline (P < 0.001), with significant differences between pooled OD(450) values obtained with each concentration of tigecycline (P = 0.022). In 17 out of 20 (85%) strains the OD(450) obtained with 0.25× MIC tigecycline was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the basal OD(450), while this occurred in 12 out of 20 (60%) strains with 0.5× MIC. CONCLUSIONS In vitro tigecycline subinhibitory concentrations were able to interfere with biofilm formation by E. faecalis.