Induced systemic resistance against Botrytis cinerea by Micromonospora strains isolated from root nodules

This article is part of the Research Topic: Harnessing useful rhizosphere microorganisms for pathogen and pest biocontrol.-- Edited by: Aurelio Ciancio, Corné M. J. Pieterse and Jesús Mercado-Blanco.Micromonospora is a Gram positive bacterium that can be isolated from nitrogen fixing nodules from healthy leguminous plants, where they could be beneficial to the plant. Their plant growth promoting activity in legume and non-legume plants has been previously demonstrated. The present study explores the ability of Micromonospora strains to control fungal pathogens and to stimulate plant immunity. Micromonospora strains isolated from surface sterilized nodules of alfalfa showed in vitro antifungal activity against several pathogenic fungi. Moreover, root inoculation of tomato plants with these Micromonospora strains effectively reduced leaf infection by the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea, despite spatial separation between both microorganisms. This induced systemic resistance, confirmed in different tomato cultivars, is long lasting. Gene expression analyses evidenced that Micromonospora stimulates the plant capacity to activate defense mechanisms upon pathogen attack. The defensive response of tomato plants inoculated with Micromonospora spp. differs from that of non-inoculated plants, showing a stronger induction of jasmonate-regulated defenses when the plant is challenged with a pathogen. The hypothesis of jasmonates playing a key role in this defense priming effect was confirmed using defense-impaired tomato mutants, since the JA-deficient line def1 was unable to display a long term induced resistance upon Micromonospora spp. inoculation. In conclusion, nodule isolated Micromonospora strains should be considered excellent candidates as biocontrol agents as they combine both direct antifungal activity against plant pathogens and the ability to prime plant immunity.This work was supported by MICINN Grant AGL2010-17380 and AGL-2012-39923. Fellowship from CSIC JAE-PREPeer reviewe

Cystoid Macular Edema: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a review of studies on cystoid macular edema published in the last seven years. Cystoid macular edema is a major cause of loss of visual acuity. It is the final common pathway of many diseases and can be caused by numerous processes including inflammatory, vascular, adverse drug reactions, retinal dystrophy or intraocular tumors. These processes disrupt the blood-retinal barrier, with fluid extravasation to the macular parenchyma. Imaging tests are essential for both detection and monitoring of this pathology. Fluorescein angiography and autofluorescence show the leakage of liquid from perifoveal vessels into the tissue where it forms cystic spaces. Optical coherence tomography is currently the gold standard technique for diagnosis and monitoring. This allows objective measurement of retinal thickness, which correlates with visual acuity and provides more complete morphological information. Based on the underlying etiology, the therapeutic approach can be either surgical or medical with anti-inflammatory drugs. We found that disruption of the blood-retinal barrier for various reasons is the key point in the pathogenesis of cystoid macular edema, therefore we believe that studies on its treatment should proceed on this path

Experience with the use of Rituximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a tertiary Hospital in Spain: RITAR study

There is evidence supporting that there are no relevant clinical differences between dosing rituximab 1000 mg or 2000 mg per cycle in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in clinical trials, and low-dose cycles seem to have a better safety profile. Our objective was to describe the pattern of use of rituximab in real-life practice conditions. Methods: Rituximab for RA in clinical practice (RITAR) study is a retrospective cohort study from 2005 to 2015. Eligibility criteria were RA adults treated with rituximab for active articular disease. Response duration was the main outcome defined as months elapsed from the date of rituximab first infusion to the date of flare. A multivariable analysis was performed to determine the variables associated with response duration. Results: A total of 114 patients and 409 cycles were described, 93.0% seropositive and 80.7% women. Rituximab was mainly used as second-line biological therapy. On demand retreatment was used in 94.6% of cases versus fixed 6 months retreatment in 5.4%. Median response duration to on demand rituximab cycles was 10 months (interquartile range, 7–13). Multivariable analysis showed that age older than 65 years, number of rituximab cycles, seropositivity, and first- or second-line therapy were associated with longer response duration. The dose administered at each cycle was not significantly associated with response duration. Conclusions: Our experience suggests that 1000 mg rituximab single infusion on demand is a reasonable schedule for long-term treatment of those patients with good response after the first cycles, especially in seropositive patients and when it is applied as a first- or second-line biological therap

Comparing Energy Efficiency Of Drivers And Vehicles Using Data Envelopment Analysis

In this paper, we propose a new methodology to compare and promote efficient driving by providing feedback to the user. The proposed methodology uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to enable comparisons between drivers and vehicles, by including parameters retrieved from vehicle as inputs or output for DEA method. Providing feedback to the user is essential in driving eco-systems for changing bad driving habits and not returning back to driving bad-habits. In our case, feedback is provided once the driver has finished some routes, by proposing which corrections or improvement has to deal with for future trips. The required vehicle’s telemetry data is obtained through the OBD2 port using an OBD2 adapterMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2009-14378-C02-01Junta de Andalucía TIC-805

Comparison of body composition assessment by bioimpedance versus hydrodensitometry in women 38 to 60 years old from Medellin-Colombia

ABSTRACT: Body composition assessment by bioimpedance is non-invasive, inexpensive and portable. Objective: To assess the validity of bioimpedance to estimate fat mass percentage (%FM) in women. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 50 women, 38 to 60 years old. Hydrodensitometry with simultaneous measurement of the lung residual volume was used as the reference method. The %FM was assessed by the bioimpedance hand-to-feet technique using the equations of Sun and Kotler. A Tanita body composition scale was used to estimate the %FM with the bioimpedance feet-to-feet technique. Results: The %FM estimated by Sun (34,0±4,8) and Kotler (34,4±6,0) were not different (p>0,05) from the %FM obtained by hydrodensitometry (33,3±5,6). The %FM estimated by Tanita differed from the reference method (30,1±5,8, p=0,000). BIA equations and Tanita showed low agreement with hydrodensitometry: Sun (Bland-Altman: -0,73 CI95%: -9,9; 8,4), Kotler (Bland-Altman: -1,1 CI95%: -10,7; 8,5) and Tanita (Bland-Altman: 3,2 CI95%: -5,8; 12,2). Conclusions: In this specific population of women, hand-to-feet bioimpedance with Sun and Kotler equations accurately estimated the %FM of the whole group, but these equations lacked validity to assess the individual %FM. The Tanita body composition scale lacked validity to assess both; individual and group %FM.RESUMEN: La bioimpedancia es un método de estimación de la composición corporal rápido, económico y portátil. Objetivo: comparar la composición corporal obtenida por bioimpedancia e hidrodensitometría en mujeres de Medellín-Colombia. Materiales y métodos: se evaluó el porcentaje de grasa corporal de 50 voluntarias. Se utilizó como método de referencia la hidrodensitometría con medición simultánea del volumen residual pulmonar. Se midió la bioimpedancia mano-pie y se estimó el porcentaje de grasa corporal con las ecuaciones de Kotler y Sun. La bioimpedancia pie-pie se midió con báscula Tanita. El análisis estadístico empleó t-student pareada, error estándar del estimado y prueba Bland-Altman. Resultados: el porcentaje de grasa corporal obtenido por hidrodensitometría fue (33,3±5,6). Sun y Kotler estimaron porcentajes de grasa similares (p>0,05) a la hidrodensitometría (34,0±4,8 y 34,4±6,0, respectivamente). Tanita estimó un porcentaje de grasa diferente al método de referencia (30,1±5,8, p=0,000). La bioimpedancia presentó un bajo grado de acuerdo con la hidrodensitometría: Sun (BlandAltman: -0,73 IC95%: -9,9; 8,4), Kotler (Bland-Altman: -1,1 IC95%: -10,7; 8,5) y Tanita (Bland-Altman: 3,2 IC95%: -5,8; 12,2). Conclusiones: las ecuaciones de Sun y Kotler estiman de forma adecuada el porcentaje de grasa corporal grupal, pero presentan poca concordancia con la hidrodensitometría en la estimación de la composición corporal individual. La báscula Tanita presentó las mayores diferencias con la hidrodensitometría en la estimación del porcentaje de grasa corporal grupal e individual

The Impact of the Eye in Dementia: The Eye and its Role in Diagnosis and Follow‐up

Over the last few decades, the importance of ophthalmic examination in neurodegenerative diseases of the CNS has reportedly increased. The retina is an extension of the CNS and thus should not be surprising to find abnormal results in both the test exploring visual processing and those examining the retina of patients with CNS degeneration. Current in vivo imaging techniques are allowing ophthalmologists to detect and quantify data consistent with the histopathological findings described in the retinas of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and may help to reveal unsuspected retinal and optic‐nerve repercussions of other CNS diseases. In this chapter, we perform an analysis of the physiological changes in ocular and cerebral ageing. We analyse the ocular manifestations in CNS disorders such as stroke, AD and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the pathophysiology of both the eye and the visual pathway in AD are described. The value of the visual psychophysical tests in AD diagnosis is reviewed as well as the main findings of the optical coherence tomography as a contribution to the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. Finally, we examine the association of two neurodegenerative diseases, AD and glaucoma, as mere coincidence or possible role in the progression of the neurodegeneration

Crecimiento y contenido de larvas de atún rojo (Thunnus thynnus) y atún blanco (Thunnus alalunga)

The waters surrounding the Balearic archipelago are considered to be prime spawning habitats of the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and other tuna species such as albacore (T. alalunga) in the Mediterranean. During the 2003 bluefin and albacore spawning season, a tuna larval survey (TUNIBAL 0703) was carried out to assess the distribution of bluefin larvae in relation to hydrographic mesoscale features. Tuna larvae were collected by means of surface plankton tows with a bongo gear with a quadrangular mouth measuring 1 m diagonally. The otolith microstructure of 157 and 71 field-captured larvae of Mediterranean bluefin and albacore, respectively, were analyzed to estimate the daily growth pattern. Furthermore, biochemical analysis to estimate DNA, RNA and protein content was done on another batch of 114 bluefin and 132 albacore larvae. The size range included pre-flexion to post-flexion larvae, from 2.8 to 8.6 mm in body length. bluefin and albacore larvae grew linearly in standard length (0.35 and 0.33 mm/day, respectively) and potentially with respect to dry weight. No significant differences between species were observed in the size-weight relationship, or in the allometric relationship of body size and weight to otolith radius. However, the relationship of DNA and RNA to body size and weight showed a significant difference between species. Bluefin tuna larvae showed a greater nucleic acid content than albacore larvae. Protein content showed no significant differences with respect to body length.Las aguas de las Islas Baleares representan una de las zonas más importantes de puesta del atún rojo (Thunnus thynnus) y de otras especies asociadas, como el atún blanco albacore (T. alalunga). En julio del 2003, época de puesta del atún, se realizó la campaña TUNIBAL, con el fin de delimitar las zonas de puesta del atún rojo, así como su relación con el modelo de circulación en el área. Las larvas de atunes se muestrearon mediante arrastres superficiales con una red Bongo de boca cuadrangular (1 m en diagonal). Para el estudio del crecimiento diario, 157 larvas de atún rojo y 71 larvas de atún blanco fueron analizadas. Para el estudio de la condición larvaria (DNA, RNA y proteínas), 119 larvas de atún rojo y 138 larvas de atún blanco fueron analizadas. Se analizaron larvas desde estados de pre-flexión a post-flexión, desde 2.8 a 8.6 mm de longitud estándar. Las larvas de atún rojo y atún blanco crecen linealmente en longitud estándar (0.35 y 0.33 mm/día respectivamente) y potencialmente en peso seco. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la relación talla-peso, o en la relación del radio del otolito con talla o peso. Sin embargo, la relación entre DNA y RNA con talla o peso mostró diferencias significativas entre especies, siendo el atún rojo el que mostró mayores contenidos en ácidos nucleicos. No obstante, el contenido en proteínas no mostró diferencias significativas con la talla entre especies

Microconformado de Materiales Metálicos mediante Pulsos Láser en el Dominio de ns

La demanda de miniaturización introducida, entre otros, por la industria de fabricación de MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), hace necesario caracterizar y validar los procesos que emplean el láser en el microconformado de materiales metálicos a escala submilimétrica. Como alternativa al microconformado térmico, que hace uso de las deformaciones de origen térmico inducidas por la radiación láser, el microconformado mediante pulsos láser en el dominio de ns hace posible el conformado de materiales metálicos manteniendo, o incluso mejorando, las propiedades mecánicas de los mismos debido a la inducción de tensiones residuales de compresión en la superficie de la pieza tratada. Se presenta en este trabajo el estudio teórico y experimental del microconformado láser mediante la caracterización de diversas pruebas elementales. Miniaturization of components demanded by MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) industry, makes necessary the validation of the manufacturing processes applied to submillimetric metallic materials in which laser is used. As an alternative to thermal microforming in which laser induced thermal fields are responsible for the forming phenomena, the use of ns laser pulses makes possible microforming of metallic materials preserving, or even improving, their mechanical properties, due to the induction of residual stresses in the surface. In the present paper experimental tests and FEM simulation results on nanosecond time scale laser microforming are presented