Influence of Bacillus Spp. Based Bioproducts on Potato Plant Growth and Control of Rhizoctonia Solani

Some Bacillus based bioproducts were analyzed for their plant growth promotion and Rhizoctonia solani biocontrol potential in potato plants. The bioproducts were formulated as concentrated aqueous suspension, each containing one of the following plant beneficial bacteria: Bacillus safensis Rd.b2, Bacillus spp. 75.1s and Cp.b4 strains. These were applied on potato seeding material in order to evaluate plant growth promotion effects. The biocontrol efficacy was also evaluated, using Rhizoctonia solani DSM 63002 as plant pathogen, and Prestige 290FS as reference chemical treatment.In the plant growth-promotion experiments, several biologic parameters were biometrically evaluated. Best results regarding plant growth and vigor were obtained using CropMax, a commercial phytostimulatory product. However, the bacterial treatment with Bacillus spp. Cp.b4 and 75.1s showed an improved plant growth compared to the untreated control. An efficacy of 93.75% against Rhizoctonia dumping-off was registered when using the Prestige 290FS chemical control. Mix treatments based on this pesticide, in low dose, combined with Cp.b4 or 75.1s biocontrol strains significantly reduced the pathogenic attack, showing 85 to 87.5% efficacy.The present research demonstrated that the bacterial bioproducts based on Bacillus spp. 75.1s and Cp.b4 strains increase plant growth and are highly effective in controlling Rhizoctonia attack in potato plants

Proceedings of the 24th Paediatric Rheumatology European Society Congress: Part three

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications Router.Publication status: PublishedHistory: collection 2017-09, epub 2017-09-0

American College of Rheumatology Provisional Criteria for Clinically Relevant Improvement in Children and Adolescents With Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

10.1002/acr.23834ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH715579-59

Correlation of NT-proBNP levels and cardiac iron concentration in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major

Iron-induced cardiotoxicity remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major. Heart failure in these patients, which may be reversible but has a poor prognosis, is characterized by myocardial iron deposition-related early diastolic dysfunction. Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a sensitive biomarker for the detection of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. In this study, we prospectively evaluated plasma NT-proBNP levels in 187 adult patients aged 19-54 years with beta-TM. Possible correlations with the proposed recently cardiac iron concentration based on an equation derived from heart T2* assessment by MRI: [Fe] = 45.0 x [T2*](-1.22) with [Fe] in milligrams per gram dry weight and T2* in milliseconds were explored. We found that: 143 patients had no cardiac hemosiderosis, defined as [Fe]<1.1 mg/g dry weight, corresponding to T2*>20 ms and 44 patients had cardiac hemosiderosis, defined as [Fe]>1.2 mg/g dry weight. The main results of the study showed that: a) NT-proBNP levels were markedly increased in thalassemic patients (152.2 +/- 190.1 pg/mL, ranged from 6.0 to 1336.0 pg/mL compared to normal control levels 40.1 +/- 19.7 pg/ml, p<0.001, b) NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in patients with cardiac hemosiderosis compared to patients without cardiac hemosiderosis (185.1 +/- 78.0 vs 128.9 +/- 20.2 pg/mL, p<0.05), c) NT-proBNP levels correlated with [Fe] values (r = 0.387, p<0.001). This correlation was significant in patients with cardiac hemosiderosis (r = 0.520, p<0.001), but not in patients without cardiac hemosiderosis (p>0.1), and d) no significant correlation was found between NT-proBNP levels and left ventricular ejection fraction values, (p>0.3). Our study demonstrated for first time the significant association of NT-proBNP levels and cardiac iron concentration in patients with beta-thalassemia major linking blood chemistry and imaging techniques. Multicenter studies of these parameters during iron chelation therapies are needed to validate their association and further exploit its clinical use. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Functional status in severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the biologic treatment era: an assessment in a French paediatric rheumatology referral centre

Objectives. To investigate the functional status of difficult-to-treat JIA patients, including patients receiving biotherapies, and to correlate functional status to disease activity.Methods. All JIA patients consecutively evaluated in a paediatric rheumatology referral centre (November 2008 to March 2009) were enrolled in an observational cross-sectional study. The Childhood HAQ (CHAQ), physician's assessment of overall disease activity, parent's assessment of well-being and pain, and active and limited joint numbers were measured.Results. We enrolled 95 patients [27% systemic, 29% polyarticular, 22% enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) and 23% oligoarticular JIA]. Median disease duration was 3.5 years. Treatment included NSAIDs (56%), MTX (23%), CSs (21%) and biologics (45%). Of all patients, 31 and 56%, respectively, had inactive and minimally active disease. The median CHAQ score was 0.375 (range 0-3). Most patients had no or mild functional disability (61%), impaired well-being (63%) or pain (55%); 10% reported severely impaired function and well-being, 19% severe pain. ERA patients reported worse well-being and pain. CHAQ scores correlated with disease activity. Long-lasting disease and biologic treatment were associated with better well-being and pain scores.Conclusion. Despite the high proportion of severe JIA patients in this cohort, CHAQ values are within the lower range of recent reports, probably related to new therapeutic approaches. Impaired function and well-being remain a challenge for at least 10% of the patients. Impaired well-being and pain in ERA patients require further study. The strong correlation between functional status and well-being underlines the importance of improving function to optimize quality of life.status: publishe

Application of the OMERACT synovitis ultrasound scoring system in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a multicenter reliability exercise

International audienceAbstract Objectives To evaluate the reliability of the OMERACT paediatric ultrasound (US) synovitis definitions and scoring system in JIA. Methods Thirteen sonographers analysed 75 images for the presence/absence of elementary lesions (binary scoring) and for grading synovitis, synovial hypertrophy, effusion and Doppler signals. Static US images of the second metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP-II), wrist, elbow, knee and ankle in JIA patients at different ages and different disease stages were collected with standardized scanning by two experienced sonographers. Intra- and inter-reader reliability were analysed with kappa coefficients. Results Intra-reader reliability was good for binary scoring (Cohen’s kappa 0.62, range 0.47–0.75), synovitis and synovial hypertrophy; excellent for Doppler signals (quadratic weighted kappa 0.77, 0.66–0.86; 0.76, 0.61–0.84; and 0.87, 0.77–0.94, respectively); and moderate for effusion (0.55, 0.24–0.76). Inter-reader reliability was good for synovitis and synovial hypertrophy (Light’s kappa 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.75 and 0.63, 0.54–0.71, respectively), excellent for Doppler signals (0.85, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.90), and moderate for binary scoring and effusion (0.48, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.64 and 0.49, 0.40–0.60, respectively). We obtained the best scores for the knee (0.71, 0.54–0.85) except for Doppler signals, with reliability higher for MCP-II. We found a trend toward better results in older children. Conclusions This is the first study establishing the reliability of the OMERACT paediatric US synovitis definitions and scoring system in the five most commonly affected joints in JIA. The reliability was good among a large group of sonographers. These results support the applicability of these definitions and scoring system in clinical practice and multicentre studies

Application of the OMERACT synovitis ultrasound scoring system in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a multicenter reliability exercise

Objectives. To evaluate the reliability of the OMERACT paediatric ultrasound (US) synovitis definitions and scoring system in JIA. Methods. Thirteen sonographers analysed 75 images for the presence/absence of elementary lesions (binary scoring) and for grading synovitis, synovial hypertrophy, effusion and Doppler signals. Static US images of the second metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP-II), wrist, elbow, knee and ankle in JIA patients at different ages and different disease stages were collected with standardized scanning by two experienced sonographers. Intra- and inter-reader reliability were analysed with kappa coefficients. Results. Intra-reader reliability was good for binary scoring (Cohen’s kappa 0.62, range 0.47-0.75), synovitis and synovial hypertrophy; excellent for Doppler signals (quadratic weighted kappa 0.77, 0.66-0.86; 0.76, 0.61-0.84; and 0.87, 0.77-0.94, respectively); and moderate for effusion (0.55, 0.24-0.76). Inter-reader reliability was good for synovitis and synovial hypertrophy (Light’s kappa 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.75 and 0.63, 0.54-0.71, respectively), excellent for Doppler signals (0.85, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.90), and moderate for binary scoring and effusion (0.48, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.64 and 0.49, 0.40-0.60, respectively). We obtained the best scores for the knee (0.71, 0.54-0.85) except for Doppler signals, with reliability higher for MCP-II. We found a trend toward better results in older children. Conclusions. This is the first study establishing the reliability of the OMERACT paediatric US synovitis definitions and scoring system in the five most commonly affected joints in JIA. The reliability was good among a large group of sonographers. These results support the applicability of these definitions and scoring system in clinical practice and multicentre studies