No improvement of survival with reduced- versus high-intensity conditioning for allogeneic stem cell transplants in Ewing tumor patients

Background: Outcomes of Ewing tumor (ET) patients treated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) were compared regarding the use of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) and high-intensity conditioning (HIC) regimens as well as human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched and HLA-mismatched grafts. Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 87 ET patients from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Pediatric Registry for Stem Cell Transplantations, Asia Pacific Blood and Marrow Transplantation and MetaEICESS registries treated with allo-SCT. Fifty patients received RIC (group A) and 37 patients received HIC (group B). Twenty-four patients received HLA-mismatched grafts and 63 received HLA-matched grafts. Results: Median overall survival was 7.9 months [±1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.44-10.31] for group A and 4.4 months (±1.06, 95% CI 2.29-6.43) for group B patients (P = 1.3). Death of complications (DOC) occurred in 4 of 50 (0.08) and death of disease (DOD) in 33 of 50 (0.66) group A and in 16 of 37 (0.43) and 17 of 37 (0.46) group B patients, respectively. DOC incidence was decreased (P < 0.01) and DOD/relapse increased (P < 0.01) in group A compared with group B. HLA mismatch was not generally associated with graft-versus-Ewing tumor effect (GvETE). Conclusions: There was no improvement of survival with RIC compared with HIC due to increased DOD/relapse incidence after RIC despite less DOC incidence. This implicates general absence of a clinically relevant GvETE with current protocol

Water relations and photosynthesis as criteria for adequate irrigation management in 'Tahiti' lime trees

Irrigation scheduling based on soil moisture status is one of the most useful methods because of its practicality and low cost. The effects of available soil water depletion on evapotranspiration (ETc), transpiration (E), leaf water potential at predawn (psiP) and midday (psiM), stomatal conductance (gs) and net CO2 assimilation (A) in lime 'Tahiti' trees (Citrus latifolia) were evaluated to improve irrigation schedule and minimize water use without causing water stress. The trees were spaced 7 <FONT FACE=Symbol>&acute;</FONT> 4 m and drip-irrigated by four drippers with the available soil water content (AWC) depleted by suspension of irrigation (40 days). Leaf water potential was measured on a pressure chamber (psiP and psiM) and leaf gas exchange was measured by infrared gas analyzer (E, gs and A). Evapotranspiration was determined with the aid of weighing lysimeter. Water soil content and potential (psiS) were monitored with TDR probes and tensiometers, respectively, installed at 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m depths. Meteorological variables were monitored with an automatic weather station in the experimental area. The threshold AWC level for the onset of ETc decline was 43%, and 60% for gs, A, E and Y P. Also, psiP was more sensitive to AWC than psiM, and is therefore a better tool for irrigation. When AWC was around 60%, values of psiP and psis were -0.62 MPa and -48.8 kPa, respectively

Long-term effects of saline irrigation water on growth, yield and fruit quality of \u27Valencia\u27 orange trees

Citrus is regarded as a salt-sensitive crop, but its yield response to salinity is affected by variety, rootstock, duration of salt exposure, irrigation management, soil type, and climate. This study quantified the yield response of mature Valencia [Citrus sinensis (L. Osbeck)] orange trees on sweet orange (C. sinensis) rootstock to increased levels of sodium chloride in irrigation water in the Sunraysia area of the Murray Valley in south-eastern Australia. The orchard was planted on a loamy sand and trees were irrigated and fertilised with a well-managed under-tree microsprinkler system. Four levels of salt, ranging from the river-water control (0.44 dS/m) to 2.50 dS/m, were applied over a 9-year period. Overall yield effects were smaller than expected, and did not conform well to the often used bent-stick model. Relative to the control, yield was initially higher (by up to 9%) in the intermediate salt treatments, and 3% lower in the highest treatment. However, relative yields of salinised trees decreased with time, and in the final year of the experiment, yield of the highest salt treatment was 9% lower than the control. Yield increases in the intermediate treatments resulted from increases in fruit number. All 3 salt treatments decreased average fruit weight by 4% and decreased juice content but increased juice sugar and acid content. Salt treatment strongly reduced trunk growth, and the effect increased with time. Our results show that with appropriate irrigation management, soils, and rootstocks, citrus trees can maintain productivity at salinity levels of 2.0 dS/m or more, but fresh fruit profitability is likely to be lower because of a reduction in average fruit size