Determinants of lung disease progression measured by lung clearance index in children with cystic fibrosis

The lung clearance index (LCI) measured by the multiple breath washout (MBW) test is sensitive to early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis. While LCI worsens during the preschool years in cystic fibrosis, there is limited evidence to clarify whether this continues during the early school age years, and whether the trajectory of disease progression as measured by LCI is modifiable.A cohort of children (healthy and cystic fibrosis) previously studied for 12 months as preschoolers were followed during school age (5-10 years). LCI was measured every 3 months for a period of 24 months using the Exhalyzer D MBW nitrogen washout device. Linear mixed effects regression was used to model changes in LCI over time.A total of 582 MBW measurements in 48 healthy subjects and 845 measurements in 64 cystic fibrosis subjects were available. The majority of children with cystic fibrosis had elevated LCI at the first preschool and first school age visits (57.8% (37 out of 64)), whereas all but six had normal forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) values at the first school age visit. During school age years, the course of disease was stable (-0.02 units·year^-1 (95% CI -0.14-0.10). LCI measured during preschool years, as well as the rate of LCI change during this time period, were important determinants of LCI and FEV_1, at school age.Preschool LCI was a major determinant of school age LCI; these findings further support that the preschool years are critical for early intervention strategies.

Lung Clearance Index to Track Acute Respiratory Events in School-Age Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Rationale: The lung clearance index (LCI) is responsive to acute respiratory events in preschool children with cystic fibrosis (CF), but its utility to identify and manage these events in school-age children with CF is not well defined.Objectives: To describe changes in LCI with acute respiratory events in school-age children with CF.Methods: In a multisite prospective observational study, the LCI and FEV₁ were measured quarterly and during acute respiratory events. Linear regression was used to compare relative changes in LCI and FEV₁% predicted at acute respiratory events. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of a significant worsening in LCI and FEV₁% predicted at acute respiratory events. Generalized estimating equation models were used to account for repeated events in the same subject.Measurements and Main Results: A total of 98 children with CF were followed for 2 years. There were 265 acute respiratory events. Relative to a stable baseline measure, LCI (+8.9%; 95% confidence interval, 6.5 to 11.3) and FEV₁% predicted (-6.6%; 95% confidence interval, -8.3 to -5.0) worsened with acute respiratory events. A greater proportion of events had a worsening in LCI compared with a decline in FEV₁% predicted (41.7% vs. 30.0%; P = 0.012); 53.9% of events were associated with worsening in LCI or FEV₁. Neither LCI nor FEV₁ recovered to baseline values at the next follow-up visit.Conclusions: In school-age children with CF, the LCI is a sensitive measure to assess lung function worsening with acute respiratory events and incomplete recovery at follow-up. In combination, the LCI and FEV₁ capture a higher proportion of events with functional impairment.

First Report of Diaporthe novem Causing Postharvest Rot of Kiwifruit During Controlled Atmosphere Storage in Chile

Chile is considered the third major exporter of kiwifruits (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C. F. Liang & A. R. Ferguson) worldwide after Italy and New Zealand (1). The genus Diaporthe Nitschke (anamorph: genus Phomopsis) has been reported as causing postharvest rot in kiwifruit (4). During the current study, 1,400 fruits arbitrarily collected from seven controlled atmosphere (CA) rooms after 90 days of storage conditions (2% O₂, 5% CO₂) determined that 21.5% of the fruit were affected by decay and 0.86% developed symptoms different than those caused by Botrytis cinerea, the main postharvest pathogen associated to kiwifruit. Symptoms were soft rot with brown skin that started at the stem-end and in severe cases affected the entire fruit. Internally, affected fruit showed browning and watery tissues. Twelve affected fruits were surface disinfested (75% ethanol) and small pieces of internal rotten tissues were placed on acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) for 7 days at 20°C. Twelve isolates were obtained, and four of them were identified morphologically and molecularly as Diaporthe ambigua, a species that has been previously described causing rot in stored kiwifruits in Chile (2). However, eight other flat, white to grayish colonies with sparse dirty-white aerial mycelium at the edge of the dish were obtained (3). Black pycnidia contained unicellular, hyaline, biguttulate, oval to cylindrical alpha conidia, with obtuse ends of (7.9) 6.7 (5.3) × (2.9) 2.5 (2.1) μm (n = 30). These isolates were tentatively identified as a Diaporthe sp. The species identification was determined by sequencing comparison of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region of the rDNA (GenBank Accession Nos. KJ210020 to 24, KJ210027, and KJ210033) and a portion of beta-tubulin (BT) (KJ210034 to 38, KJ210041, and KJ210047) using primers ITS4-ITS5 and Bt2a-Bt2b, respectively. BLAST analyses showed 99 to 100% identity with D. novem J.M. Santos, Vrandecic & A.J.L Phillips reference ex-type (KC343156 and KC344124 for ITS and BT, respectively) (3). Eighteen mature kiwifruits cv. Hayward were inoculated using a sterile cork borer on the surface of the fruit and placing 5-mm agar plugs with mycelial of D. novem (DN-1-KF). An equal number of fruits treated with sterile agar plugs were used as negative controls. After 30 days at 0°C under CA, all inoculated fruit showed rot symptoms with lesions 7.8 to 16.4 mm in diameter. The same D. novem isolate was inoculated with 30 μl of a conidial suspension (10⁶ conidia/ml) on the surface of 18 ripe kiwifruits that were previously wounded and non-wounded as described above. An equal number of wounded and non-wounded fruits, treated with 30 μl sterile water, were used as negative controls. All inoculated wounded fruits developed rot symptoms with necrotic lesions of 14.1 to 20.2 mm of diameter after 14 days at 25°C. Inoculated non-wounded and negative control fruits remained symptomless. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by re-isolating D. novem only from the symptomatic fruits. To our knowledge, this is the first report of rot caused by D. novem on kiwifruit during cold storage in Chile and worldwide. Therefore, both Diaporthe species appears to be associated to Diaporthe rot of kiwifruit in Chile. References: (1) Belrose, Inc. World Kiwifruit Review. Belrose, Inc. Publishers, Pullman, WA, 2012. (2) J. Auger et al. Plant Dis. 97:843, 2013. (3) R. Gomes et al. Persoonia 31:1, 2013. (4) L. Luongo et al. J. Plant Pathol. 93:205, 2011.

Effect of orally-administered Lactobacillus plantarum LPLM-O1 strain in an immunosuppressed mouse model of urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect both healthy and immunocompromised people, and they are treated with antibiotics. However, the high recurrence of UTIs obliges the use of natural mechanisms to regulate the normal microbiota through the use of e.g. lactic acid bacteria. In order to induce a UTI, 20 µl of the Escherichia coli (Ec-01) strain, in doses of 2.7×107 cfu/ml, was inoculated by way of the urethra in female Balb/c mice, all of them immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (10 mg/kg). Lactobacillus plantarum LPLM-O1 was used as a treatment, in daily doses of 1×107 cfu/ml, which were orally administered for seven days before the infection (preventive) or alongside the infection for seven days (curative). The oral administration of LPLM-O1 did not cause any adverse effects when used in an immunosuppressed animal model. It was observed that, when used as a preventive measure, LPLM-O1 induces a decrease in the infection, in the concentration of urinary leukocytes, and in the bacterial load. This study proposes the use of this lactic bacterium as a probiotic.

Diversity of Bacillus thuringiensis strains in the maize and bean phylloplane and their respective soils in Colombia

AIMS

To evaluate the distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis strains from maize and bean phylloplane and their respective soils.

METHODS AND RESULTS

B. thuringiensis was isolated from the phylloplane and soil of maize and bean from three municipalities in Antioquia, Colombia. Ninety six samples of phylloplane and 24 of soil were analyzed. A total of 214 isolates were obtained from 96 phylloplane samples while 59 isolates were recovered from 24 soil samples. Sixty five per cent and 12% of the phylloplane and soil isolates, respectively, showed activity against Spodoptera frugiperda. These isolates contained delta-endotoxin proteins of 57 and 130 kDa. The most toxic isolates against S. frugiperda had the genotype cry1Aa, cry1Ac, cry1B, and cry1D. In contrast, 27% of the phylloplane isolates and 88% of the soil isolates were active against Culex quinquefasciatus and had protein profiles similar to B. thuringiensis serovar. medellin and B. thuringiensis serovar. israelensis. The most active isolates contain cry4 and cry11 genes.

CONCLUSIONS

The predominant population of B. thuringiensis on the phylloplane harbored the cry1 gene and was active against S. frugiperda, whereas in soil, isolates harboring cry11 gene and active against C. quinquefasciatus were the majority.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The predominance of specific B. thuringiensis populations, both on the leaves and in the soil, suggests the presence of selection in B. thuringiensis populations on the studied environment.

[Influence of maternal feeding restrictions on the mother-daughter dyad]

Alimentary restraint, cognitive variable related to eating behavior and obesity, is reportedly a valuable predictor for the development of therapeutic strategies. This paper addresses the relationship between maternal restraint and several psychological variables in their daughters (alexithymia, neuroticism, extraversion). From the study of 35 mother-daughter dyads it can be concluded that daughters of highly restrained mothers tend to present high scores in the Restraint scale of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire of Stunkard and Messick, translated into Spanish and validated as Cuestionario de Conducta Alimentaria. Daughters of highle restrained mothers present also higher scores in the Neuroticism scale of the revised version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Daughters of mothers with low Restraint scores are in average higher than those of their mothers, although lower than those belonging to daughters of highle restrained mothers. Previous observations on the positive correlation between Disinhibition and Hunger of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire are confirmed. These results add an additional risk factor for obesity (mothers with high Restraint) and contribute to delineate a set of psychometric indicators which might be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of eating and body weight disorders.

[Effects of estrogen supplementation on psychological variables in climacteric women]

BACKGROUND

The beneficial effects of estrogen supplementation in climacteric women are clear. However, their psychological effects are not well documented.

AIM

To study the effects of estrogen supplementation on psychological variables in climacteric women.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Forty postmenopausal women were divided in two groups to receive a daily dose of 2 mg oestradiol valerate and 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate or an identical placebo during six months. Initially and at the end of the treatment period, they were subjected to a psychiatric interview and the Graffar, Hamilton and Eysenk personality tests were applied. Also, an Analysis of Verbal Behavior was used, that results in hope and hopeless scores.

RESULTS

There were no differences in the initial assessment between the two treatment groups. In women receiving hormonal supplementation, the Hamilton score decreased from 11.2 to 4.9 (p < 0.002) and in women receiving placebo from 8.1 to 5.3 (NS). No other significant changes in psychological tests were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Hormonal supplementation decreases the Hamilton depression score in postmenopausal women.