A fast molecular nondestructive protocol for evaluating aerobic bacterial load on fresh-cut lettuce

Elaboration of minimally processed or fresh-cut vegetables requires a quick and reliable method for detection of bacterial contamination over the recommended limits. PCR-based methods fulfil these requirements, but amplification from DNA preparations of the food product is often hampered due to inhibiting substances. The purpose of this study was to develop a fast quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based method for aerobic bacterial enumeration in fresh-cut lettuce, using as reference the centrifugation water (CW) that comes up during processing instead of the food matrix itself. Comparisons between bacterial numbers on lettuce leaves before processing and bacterial numbers in the CW both for naturally occurring bacterial populations and for artificially inoculated lettuce were performed. On an average, 35% of the natural bacterial population and 64% of inoculated bacteria were recovered in the CW. Bacterial number in CW was proportional to initial lettuce contamination suggesting that measures on CW allow a narrow estimation of lettuce contamination. In qPCR, a 23S rDNA region was amplified from bacterial DNA present in the CW, followed by melting peak analyses and quantification. Enumeration of cell number by qPCR did not differ significantly from plate assay and might therefore replace it. The proposed protocol, which includes sample taking, DNA extraction and qPCR from the CW can be performed within less than 5 h. The resulting quantification might be used as a proxy of initial lettuce contamination, allowing direct intervention measures before fresh-cut commodity is shipped from the factory.

Observational prospective study of viral infections in children undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a 3-year GETMON experience

We studied surveillance, incidence and outcome of viral infections in children undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in the main pediatric transplant units in Spain. We prospectively collected data from first year post-HCT in every consecutive allogeneic HCT performed during 3 years (N = 215): first HCT = 188 and second HCT = 27; median age = 6.6 years (0.1-20.7). Most patients had acute leukemia (N = 137) and 135 recipients (63%) were CMV seropositive. A total of 46 patients underwent cord blood transplant, 133 patients underwent HCT from alternative donors (62%) and 101 patients received anti-thymocyte globulin. Observational time was completed in 137 patients, whereas the remaining 78 died after a median survival time of 99 days (3-352). CMV was monitored in all patients; adenovirus (ADV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) were monitored in 101 and 33 patients, respectively. We found 145 viral infections in 103 patients: CMV (n = 42), ADV (n = 32), HHV-6 (n = 7), polyomavirus (n = 20), EBV (n = 6), VZV (n=17) and others (n = 8). CMV infection was significantly higher in seropositive patients (25 vs 7%) (P = 0.02). Extensive chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was significantly associated with an increased rate of viral infections (12 of 16 patients with cGVHD had infections vs 91 of 199 without GVHD) (P = 0.035). In total, 10 patients (4.6%) died of viral infections (CMV = 5, ADV = 3, respiratory = 2). We found a high incidence of viral infection, but mortality was low.

Electrochemical disinfection of secondary wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent

In this work the electrochemical disinfection of the effluent of a secondary wastewater treatment plant is investigated. In the experimental work, performed on-site with real effluents of the WWTP located in Vuelta Ostrera (Cantabria, Spain), boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were employed. The initial concentration of E. coli in the effluent of the WWTP varied in the range 1.3 x 10⁴-5.2 x 10⁵ cfu/mL. The influence of two operation variables on the kinetics of E. coli deactivation was investigated: i) The applied current density was varied in the range J=40-120 mA/cm², showing first order kinetics, and linear dependency of the apparent kinetic constant with the applied current density; and ii) the chloride concentration was varied in the range 60-1,050 mg/L, showing that increasing chloride content also enhanced the kinetics of the E. coli deactivation. The latter parameter is particularly important in coastal areas, as in the case of the present study. The formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) was followed by measuring the content of trihalomethanes (THMs) that nevertheless was maintained below 100 μg/L, so it can be concluded that the formation of DBPs is not a disadvantage of electrochemical disinfection of secondary effluents of WWTP.

Mixed infections of Pepino mosaic virus strains modulate the evolutionary dynamics of this emergent virus

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) is an emerging pathogen that causes severe economic losses in tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in the Northern hemisphere, despite persistent attempts of control. In fact, it is considered one of the most significant viral diseases for tomato production worldwide, and it may constitute a good model for the analysis of virus emergence in crops. We have combined a population genetics approach with an analysis of in planta properties of virus strains to explain an observed epidemiological pattern. Hybridization analysis showed that PepMV populations are composed of isolates of two types (PepMV-CH2 and PepMV-EU) that cocirculate. The CH2 type isolates are predominant; however, EU isolates have not been displaced but persist mainly in mixed infections. Two molecularly cloned isolates belonging to each type have been used to examine the dynamics of in planta single infections and coinfection, revealing that the CH2 type has a higher fitness than the EU type. Coinfections expand the range of susceptible hosts, and coinfected plants remain symptomless several weeks after infection, so a potentially important problem for disease prevention and management. These results provide an explanation of the observed epidemiological pattern in terms of genetic and ecological interactions among the different viral strains. Thus, mixed infections appear to be contributing to shaping the genetic structure and dynamics of PepMV populations.

Gemcitabine and capecitabine in previously anthracycline-treated metastatic breast cancer: a multicenter phase II study (SOLTI 0301 trial)

BACKGROUND

On the basis of clinical activity of capecitabine and gemcitabine for metastatic breast cancer, we carried out a multicenter phase II clinical trial on the combination of these two agents in advanced anthracycline-pretreated breast cancer patients. Main objectives were to assess its efficacy and safety profile.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seventy-six anthracycline-pretreated breast cancer patients were evaluated and were stratified according to previous treatment of advanced disease (group-1: not previously treated and group-2: previously treated). Study treatment consisted of gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2), i.v., as 30 min-infusion, days 1 and 8 every 21 days, plus oral capecitabine 830 mg/m(2) b.i.d., days 1-14 every 21 days.

RESULTS

Overall response rate was 61% for group-1, 48.5% for group-2 and 55.2% for the whole population. Clinical benefit rate was 73% for group-1, 80% for patients in group-2 and 76% for all patients. Median time to progression was 13.0 months for group-1, 8.2 months for group-2 and 11.1 months for the whole population. Most frequent grade 3-4 observed toxic effects per patient were neutropenia (60%), asymptomatic liver toxicity (13.5%), asthenia (14%) and hand-foot syndrome (16%). Only one patient presented febrile neutropenia. No treatment-related deaths occurred.

CONCLUSION

Combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine is an active and safe regimen in anthracycline-pretreated breast cancer patients.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for myelodysplastic syndromes in children: a report from the Spanish Working Party for Blood and Marrow Transplantation in Children (GETMON)

INTRODUCTION

Experience with the use of allogeneic hemopoietic stem transplantation (AHSCT) in pediatric myelodisplastic syndrome (MDS) in Spain is reviewed.

METHODS AND PATIENTS

Twenty-four children with MDS were analyzed retrospectively. Median age of the patients was 10 years. Twenty patients received a bone marrow graft and 4 an unrelated cord blood (UCB) transplant; 12 bone marrow grafts were from a matched related donor (MRD) and 8 from a matched unrelated donor (MUD). Conditioning regimen consisted of chemotherapy alone in 17 patients (busulfan and cyclophosphamide +/- melfalan) Seven patients received TBI and cyclophosphamide.

RESULTS

Ten patients died from transplant-related toxicity and 4 had relapse or disease progression post-AHSCT. Nine patients are alive and event-free with a median follow-up of 120 months. EFS rate in the MRD group was 0.48 (SE 0.13) versus 0.25 (SE 0.12) in the MUD/UCB group (p = .07). Lansky score in survivors is >or=90%.

CONCLUSIONS

In this historical series of children with MDS, in spite of severe transplant-related toxicity, encouraging EFS outcomes have been achieved after AHSCT with good quality of life.

Trastuzumab in the elderly: Is it age or cardiovascular risk profile that really matters?

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Background: Elderly breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) are usually excluded from clinical trials. Nevertheless, with the increased use of trastuzumab (T) there is a need to assess and predict T-related cardiotoxicity in this population. Methods: Data were collected from women ≥70 years with BC and serial cardiac monitoring treated with T at our institution since 2005. Cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) were analysed together with left ventricular systolic function (LVEF) assessed at baseline and during T. Results: Thirty pts with early (10) or advanced (20) BC, median age 75.7 years (range 70–87), were identified. WHO performance status was 0–1 in 90% of pts. Median duration of treatment was 45 weeks (range 2–87). Basal LVEF was 63.8% (range 46.3–76). Five of 30 pts (16.6%) experienced asymptomatic cardiotoxicity defined as an absolute drop ≥10% with a final LVEF < 50% (13.3%, 4/30 pts) or any absolute drop >20% (3.3%, 1/30 pts). Four of 30 patients (13.3%) developed symptomatic cardiac heart failure. Median time to LVEF decline was 9 weeks (range 3–87). LVEF recovered to normal values in a median time of 4 weeks (range 3–48) in all but one patient. CRF are shown in Table 1 . Pts with T-related cardiotoxicity presented more often with history of cardiac disease (22.2% versus 9.5%), diabetes (22.2% versus 5%) and BMI>30 (68% versus 45%) as compared to the rest. No relevant difference was seen in terms of hyperlipemia, tobacco or hypertension. Previous or concomitant exposure to anthracyclines was not found as a risk factor either. Conclusions: Despite the limited numbers, this series shows that elderly BC pts treated with T experience reversible cardiac events similarly to those already described in younger pts. However, particular attention may be paid to cardiac history, diabetic and obese pts who appear more likely to develop T-related cardiotoxicity.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

[Impact of initial cytomegalovirus viral load on efficacy of preemptive therapy with ganciclovir in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients]

OBJECTIVE

To study the impact of initial cytomegalovirus (CMV) viral load on virological response to ganciclovir preemptive therapy in allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients after 4 weeks of treatment.

METHODS

Eighty-one consecutive allogeneic SCT recipients were included. Preemptive therapy was initiated when CMV load was positive for 2 consecutive weeks or when a viral load >5000copies/mL was detected in 1 sample. If viral load was >400copies/mL after 2 weeks of treatment, maintenance treatment with ganciclovir was continued for 2 additional weeks. Virological failure was defined as a CMV load >400copies/mL after 4 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

Ganciclovir preemptive therapy was initiated in 32 patients (39.5%) who had 39 episodes of CMV replication. Virological failure occurred in 16 patients (50%) after 18 episodes of replication (46%). Clinical failure additionally occurred in 2 episodes (5%). The only risk factor for virological failure was a peak viral load >20,000copies/mL at the beginning of treatment (OR 5.88; 95% CI: 1.49-25, P=.03). The main risk factor for CMV replication >20,000copies/mL at the start of treatment was the presence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host-disease (OR 16; 95% CI: 8.5-45).

CONCLUSION

CMV viral load >20,000copies/mL is the main risk factor for virological failure after 4 weeks of ganciclovir preemptive therapy following SCT.

Rizartrosis y síndrome del canal carpiano: tratamiento simultáneo a través de una misma vía de abordaje

Objetivo: La asociación de rizartrosis y síndrome del canal carpiano es frecuente. El objetivo de este estudio es valorar el resultado de la descompresión del canal carpiano a través de la vía utilizada para realizar la artroplastia de resección-suspensión del trapecio, así como discutir las ventajas e inconvenientes encontrados con esta técnica.

Material y método: Entre 2002 y 2006 se realizaron 16 artroplastias de resección-suspensión que presentaban un síndrome del canal carpiano asociado. Se valoró la resolución de la sintomatología mediante escala analógica visual, la recuperación de la fuerza de agarre de puño y las pinzas pulgar-índice, y la mejoría producida por la intervención en la calidad de vida de los pacientes utilizando la versión española de los cuestionarios DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) y CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome).

Resultados: Se revisaron 14 pacientes con un seguimiento medio de 23,7 meses (rango: 10-52). La sintomatología mejoró 8 puntos de media tras la intervención. La fuerza final de agarre de puño y de las pinzas pulpejo-lateral y pulpejo-pulpejo fueron 54,5%, 71,8% y 73,5% de los valores de referencia según edad, género y lado afecto.

El cuestionario DASH mejoró 34,8 puntos, y el CTS 0,8 puntos para la valoración funcional y de 2,5 puntos para la gravedad de síntomas.

Discusión y conclusiones: Aunque el tratamiento del canal carpiano puede realizarse antes, durante o después de la cirugía de la artrosis trapecio-metacarpiana, para disminuir la morbilidad postoperatoria y la persistencia de síntomas se recomienda que ambas patologías sean tratadas en el mismo acto quirúrgico, y si fuera posible a través de la misma incisión. No alarga significativamente la intervención, permite una descompresión efectiva con mínima morbilidad y evita algunas de las complicaciones asociadas a la técnica tradicional.

Effect of Pre-processing Controlled Atmosphere Storage on the Quality of Fresh-cut Galia Melons

The effects of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of whole Galia melon on its physical, chemical, and sensory quality after minimal processing were evaluated. High quality fruits washed with 200 mg/L NaClO water solution were stored at 8 °C and 95% RH under CA of 4 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO2 (T1), 4 kPa O 2 + 10 kPa CO2 (T2) and 21 kPa O2 + 0 kPa CO 2 (T3, air as control). Melons were removed from CA after 10 and 28 days, kept in air at 5 °C for 24 h and then minimally processed in a disinfected cold room at 5 °C. Trapezoidal sections were washed with 100 mg/L NaClO, rinsed and drained. Melon pieces were placed in polypropylene (PP) trays which were heat sealed with an oriented PP film of 35 μm thickness and stored at 5 °C. After 9 days the atmosphere within packages was dependent of pre-storage time, but very similar for the three pre-storage CA treatments: around 2 kPa O2 + 21 kPa CO2 for those stored 10 days and 3 kPa O2 + 31 kPa CO2 for those stored during 28 days. Overall quality of minimally processed Galia melon was affected by pre-processing conditions. Trapezoidal sections obtained from melons previously stored during 28 days at 8 °C under 4 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO 2 and MAP stored for 7 days at 5 °C showed the highest firmness and the best sensory quality. However, for all the cases, microbial counts were over the legal limits. Alternative disinfection procedures should be developed to guarantee safety of the product.

Tomato torrado virus is Transmitted by Bemisia tabaci and Infects Pepper and Eggplant in Addition to Tomato

Torrao or torrado is an emerging disease that is causing serious economic losses in tomato crops of southeastern Spain. The causal agent has been shown to be a new picorna-like plant virus, tentatively named Tomato torrado virus (ToTV) (4). By using trap tomato plants in a greenhouse affected by torrado located in the Murcia Region of Spain, we obtained a ToTV isolate (ToTV-CE) that we have biologically and molecularly characterized. Subtracted cDNA libraries (1) and expressed sequence tags sequencing were used to determine the partial nucleotide sequence of ToTV-CE. We covered ≈53% of the virus genome (GenBank Accession Nos. EU476181 and EU476182) and found that ToTV-CE RNAs 1 and 2 had a high nucleotide similarity (98 and 99%, respectively) with the ToTV published sequences (2,4). ToTV-CE sequences also showed a 70% nt similarity with those of Tomato apex necrosis virus, a newly identified virus in tomato crops of the Culiacan area (Sinaloa, Mexico) (3). To characterize the host range of ToTV-CE, 6 to 10 plants belonging to 14 species were mechanically inoculated with extracts from ToTV-CE-infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The presence of ToTV in these plants was analyzed at 3 and 6 weeks postinoculation (PI) by molecular hybridization in dot-blots. The determined host range was in agreement with that described earlier (2,4), but additional hosts and nonhosts were identified. Thus, the virus did not infect melon (Cucumis melo var. cantaloupe), cucumber (C. sativus cv. Marketmore), squash (Cucurbita pepo cv. Negro Belleza), Chenopodium album ssp. Amaranticolor, or Chenopodium quinoa. The virus infected systemically N. benthamiana, N. glutinosa, N. rustica, tobacco (N. tabacum cvs. Xanthi nc and Samsun), Physalis floridana, pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Italian Long Sweet), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Boludo), and eggplant (S. melongena cv. Black Beauty). Pepper plants displayed severe symptoms of infection consisting of marked mosaics and stunting (but no necrosis), but eggplant remained asymptomatic for up to 6 weeks PI. A simple assay was devised to analyze whether ToTV can be transmitted by whiteflies. ToTV-CE-infected tomato plants were placed together with three to eight healthy tomato seedlings inside insect-proof glass boxes. Adult Bemisia tabaci (100 to 800 individuals in three replicates) or Trialeurodes vaporariorum (100 individuals in one replicate) were released into each box. For both treatments, symptoms typically induced by ToTV appeared in one to seven tomato seedlings by 1 week after the release of the whiteflies. ToTV infection was confirmed by molecular hybridization in tissue prints of petiole cross sections at 10 days PI. These data are in agreement with those reported by Pospieszny et al. (2) and strongly suggest that both B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum can transmit ToTV. References: (1) L. Diachenko et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:6025, 1996. (2) H. Pospieszny et al. Plant Dis. 91:1364, 2007 (3) M. Turina et al. Plant Dis. 91:932, 2007. (4) M. Verbeek et al. Arch. Virol. 152:881, 2007.

The -250G/A polymorphism in the hepatic lipase gene promoter influences the postprandial lipemic response in healthy men

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The -250G/A promoter polymorphism of the hepatic lipase gene has been associated with changes in the activity of the enzyme. We investigated whether this polymorphism modifies the postprandial response of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRL) in young normolipemic males.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Fifty-one healthy apolipoprotein (apo) E3/E3 male volunteers (30 G/G and 21 carriers of the A allele) underwent a vitamin A fat-loading test and blood samples were drawn every hour until the 6th, and every 2h and 30 min until the 11th. Total plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerols (TG), as well as cholesterol, TG and retinyl palmitate (RP) in TRL, isolated by ultracentrifugation, were determined. Carriers of the A allele showed a higher response (P=0.008), a higher area under the curve (AUC; P=0.022) and a lower RP peak time (P=0.029) in small TRL during the postprandial response, as well as a lower peak time in total plasma TG levels (P=0.034) and large TRL-TG (P=0.033) than subjects who were homozygous for the G allele.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that the presence of the A allele in the -250G/A promoter polymorphism of the hepatic lipase gene is associated with a higher postprandial lipemic response.

Tenosinovitis, de origen vegetal, de los flexores de muñeca y dedos. A propósito de un caso

Introducción: Las tenosinovitis de origen vegetal son poco frecuentes. El grupo de edad más afectado son niños y adolescentes. La realización de una correcta historia clínica es fundamental para el diagnóstico del proceso. La mayoría producen una reacción aséptica de cuerpo extraño al material retenido. La ecografía y la resonancia magnética son de inestimable ayuda para la localización del cuerpo extraño, y la mayoría de los casos se solucionan adecuadamente con la intervención quirúrgica.

Caso clínico: Varón de 17 años de edad que sufrió caída en el campo sobre su mano derecha, atendido en el Servicio de Urgencias por presentar herida volar en muñeca. A las 8 semanas de la lesión, el paciente fue remitido a la Unidad de Cirugía de la Mano del Hospital por presentar inflamación fría de muñeca y dificultad para la activación del pulgar. Se realizó resonancia magnética que identificó tumoración reactiva con cuerpos extraños en el seno de los flexores de muñeca y mano. Se intervino quirúrgicamente realizando exéresis de la reacción a cuerpo extraño con varios fragmentos de tallo de planta y sinovectomía. La recuperación fue completa.

Resultados del tratamiento de la rizartrosis mediante sección de los tendones accesorios del Abductor pollicis longus

Objetivo: Valoración de los resultados obtenidos en pacientes con rizartrosis, en estadios iniciales, tratados mediante la tenotomía de los tendones accesorios del abductor pollicis longus, según técnica de Zancolli.

Material y Método: Entre 2002 y 2006 se han intervenido 23 casos: 13 tipo I, 7 tipo II y 3 tipo III de la clasificación de Zancolli. La edad media fue de 50,3 años, siendo el 95,7% mujeres; el 60,9% de los casos afectaba a la mano derecha. En un 82,6% de los casos la tenotomía de los tendones accesorios se realizó en el contexto del tratamiento de otra patología asociada. Se midió el dolor mediante la escala analógica visual, la movilidad del pulgar, la fuerza de prensión y de las pinzas pulgar-índice mediante dinamómetros Jamar y B&L, la progresión radiológica de la artrosis, la existencia de complicaciones y la mejoría de la calidad de vida mediante la versión española del cuestionario DASH.

Resultados: Tras un seguimiento medio de 46 meses se valoraron 18 pacientes. El dolor disminuyó 2,8 puntos, la abducción radial media fue de 41,2º, la fuerza media de la pinza pulpejo-pulpejo fue del 52,7% de la esperada, la pulpejo-lateral del 64,2%, y la de puño del 36,5%. En el estudio radiológico final encontramos una progresión radiológica de la enfermedad en 8 casos (44,4%), obteniendo una mejoría de 16,7 puntos en el DASH.

Discusión y Conclusiones: Con esta técnica se consigue una mejoría del dolor, pero no parece existir una disminución significativa en la progresión radiológica de la enfermedad a medio-largo plazo, salvo para algunos estadios muy iniciales. Puede ser útil en estadios prerradiológicos en los que ha fracasado el tratamiento conservador, o como gesto quirúrgico asociado cuando se vaya a intervenir al paciente por otra patología de la mano.

MELOGEN: an EST database for melon functional genomics

Background

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the most important fleshy fruits for fresh consumption. Despite this, few genomic resources exist for this species. To facilitate the discovery of genes involved in essential traits, such as fruit development, fruit maturation and disease resistance, and to speed up the process of breeding new and better adapted melon varieties, we have produced a large collection of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from eight normalized cDNA libraries from different tissues in different physiological conditions.

Results

We determined over 30,000 ESTs that were clustered into 16,637 non-redundant sequences or unigenes, comprising 6,023 tentative consensus sequences (contigs) and 10,614 unclustered sequences (singletons). Many potential molecular markers were identified in the melon dataset: 1,052 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 356 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found. Sixty-nine percent of the melon unigenes showed a significant similarity with proteins in databases. Functional classification of the unigenes was carried out following the Gene Ontology scheme. In total, 9,402 unigenes were mapped to one or more ontology. Remarkably, the distributions of melon and Arabidopsis unigenes followed similar tendencies, suggesting that the melon dataset is representative of the whole melon transcriptome. Bioinformatic analyses primarily focused on potential precursors of melon micro RNAs (miRNAs) in the melon dataset, but many other genes potentially controlling disease resistance and fruit quality traits were also identified. Patterns of transcript accumulation were characterised by Real-Time-qPCR for 20 of these genes.

Conclusion

The collection of ESTs characterised here represents a substantial increase on the genetic information available for melon. A database (MELOGEN) which contains all EST sequences, contig images and several tools for analysis and data mining has been created. This set of sequences constitutes also the basis for an oligo-based microarray for melon that is being used in experiments to further analyse the melon transcriptome.