Genetic diversity and population structure of Pepino mosaic virus in tomato crops of Spain and Morocco

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV, genus Potexvirus) is an emergent and highly infectious pathogen responsible for economically important diseases in tomato crops. An extensive survey of tomato plants showing PepMV-like symptoms was carried out in 2017 to study the PepMV genetic diversity and populations structure in different tomato-producing areas of Spain and Morocco. Molecular dot-blot hybridization analysis showed that virus populations from Spain and Morocco were mainly composed of isolates belonging to the Chilean 2 (CH2) strain, although isolates of the European (EU) strain were detected in significant proportions in Spanish populations, mainly in mixed infections. A few isolates of the American (US1) strain were also detected in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) crops. Eighty-five isolates were randomly selected and sequenced in the genomic region that encodes the triple gene block and capsid protein genes. Our phylogenetic and population genetics analyses confirmed the presence of the CH2, EU and US1 PepMV strains. Despite the high genetic similarity observed within populations, variants were maintained at low frequency under purifying selection, and differentiation among more geographically distant locations was identified, with potential gene flow contributing to the shaping of the PepMV populations structur

Quality attributes during maturation of ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Red Delicious’ apples grown in two geographical regions with different environmental conditions

Apples have distinctive quality attributes that may be defined by environmental conditions of the geographical regions where fruits are cultivated, such as temperature, solar radiation, photoperiod, and photothermic units. A three-year study was conducted to compare ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Red Delicious’ apples from two different regions, Washington, USA (WA) and Chihuahua, Mexico (CHIH). Apple samples were harvested weekly from early August to late October (~120-180 days after full bloom - DAFB), and analysed for quality parameters. Geographic environmental data were obtained, and photoperiod, solar radiation, degree-days and photothermal units were calculated. Results show quality differences between CHIH and WA apples. WA shows a ~5-week delay in apple bloom, possibly due to the lower temperatures presented in WA. Apples from both regions required the same photoperiod, ~ 2,222 h, to attain the beginning of the ripening stage, which took more days (three weeks) for CHIH apples, most likely attributed to the higher elevation of CHIH orchards (2,062 vs. 763 masl). The main distinctive quality differences found between WA and CHIH apples were firmness and aroma volatile compounds. CHIH apples presented substantially higher amounts of aroma compounds. WA apples showed greater firmness, probably due to lower photothermal units. Using all firmness data (both varieties, both growing zones) a remarkable correlation was found between firmness and photothermal units (R=0.89), which may suggest firmness could be improved by the manipulation of degree days and photoperiod, that is, temperature and light

Urinalysis: diagnostic performance of urine dipstick compared to an automated microscopic method

Introduction: Urinalysis is one of the most important clinical laboratory tests because numerous pathologies can manifest or be suspected through this test. Although the previous reports mention that urinary microscopy is a fundamental part of urinalysis for diagnostic support of various conditions, there is a debate about the utility of this test section in a certain patient population. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of the urinary dipstick analysis and the potential risks of false-negative (FN) results. Material and methods: This is a retrospective and observational study, and urinalysis information was obtained from non-hospitalized patients. The dipstick and microscopic analyses were performed using the Clinitek-ATLAS (index test) and iQ200-SPRINT (reference standard) devices. Dipstick or microscopy analyses were positive if ≥ 1 parameters were abnormal. A Bayesian hierarchal beta-binomial model was carried out for each performance parameter. Risk analysis was performed as proposed in the literature. Results: Five hundred and fifty-two patients were included in the study. The posterior median at group level was 94% (credible interval 95% [CrI 95%] 89.9-97%) for sensitivity (Se), 57.1% (CrI 95%, 50.1-64.1%) for specificity, and 5.8% (CrI 95%, 2.59-9.64%) for FN rate (FNR). The posterior probability Se > 90% was 95.9% at a group level. The risk analysis found only low-risk false-negative events. Conclusions: The performance of the dipstick analysis was appropriate, with a good certainty of Se > 90% and a FNR < 10% at the operator level. Omission of microscopic analysis can be a safe action in a patient with a negative dipstick since FNs with a clinical impact are not expected

CLOCK gene variation is associated with incidence of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in type-2 diabetic subjects: dietary modulation in the PREDIMED randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Circadian rhythms regulate key biological processes influencing metabolic pathways. Disregulation is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Circadian rhythms are generated by a transcriptional autoregulatory feedback loop involving core clock genes. CLOCK (circadian locomotor output cycles protein kaput), one of those core genes, is known to regulate glucose metabolism in rodent models. Cross-sectional studies in humans have reported associations between this locus and obesity, plasma glucose, hypertension and T2D prevalence, supporting its role in cardiovascular risk. However, no longitudinal study has investigated the association between CLOCK gene variation and T2D or CVD incidence. Moreover, although in a previous work we detected a gene-diet interaction between the CLOCK-rs4580704 (C > G) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and monounsaturated (MUFA) intake on insulin resistance, no interventional study has analyzed gene-diet interactions on T2D or CVD outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed the association between the CLOCK-rs4580704 SNP and incidence of T2D and CVD longitudinally in 7098 PREDIMED trial (ISRCTN35739639) participants after a median 4.8-year follow-up. We also examined modulation by Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) intervention (high in MUFA) on these associations. RESULTS: We observed a significant association between the CLOCK-rs4580704 SNP and T2D incidence in n = 3671 non-T2D PREDIMED participants, with variant allele (G) carriers showing decreased incidence (dominant model) compared with CC homozygotes (HR: 0.69; 95 % CI 0.54-0.87; P = 0.002). This protection was more significant in the MedDiet intervention group (HR: 0.58; 95 % CI 0.43-0.78; P < 0.001) than in the control group (HR: 0.95; 95 % CI 0.63-1.44; P = 0.818). Moreover, we detected a statistically significant interaction (P = 0.018) between CLOCK-rs4580704 SNP and T2D status on stroke. Thus, only in T2D subjects was CLOCK-rs4580704 SNP associated with stroke risk, G-carriers having decreased risk (HR: 0.61; 95 % CI 0.40-0.94; P = 0.024 versus CC) in the multivariable-adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS: In agreement with our previous results showing a protective effect of the G-allele against hyperglycemia, we extended our findings by reporting a novel association with lower T2D incidence and also suggesting a dietary modulation. Moreover, we report for the first time an association between a CLOCK polymorphism and stroke in T2D subjects, suggesting that core clock genes may significantly contribute to increased CVD risk in T2D

Effect of an Intensive Weight-Loss Lifestyle Intervention on Kidney Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Large randomized trials testing the effect of a multifactorial weight-loss lifestyle intervention including Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on renal function are lacking. Here, we evaluated the 1-year efficacy of an intensive weight-loss intervention with an energy-reduced MedDiet (erMedDiet) plus increased physical activity (PA) on renal function. Methods: Randomized controlled "PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea-Plus"(PREDIMED-Plus) trial is conducted in 23 Spanish centers comprising 208 primary care clinics. Overweight/obese (n = 6,719) adults aged 55-75 years with metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned (1:1) to an intensive weight-loss lifestyle intervention with an erMedDiet, PA promotion, and behavioral support (intervention) or usual-care advice to adhere to an energy-unrestricted MedDiet (control) between September 2013 and December 2016. The primary outcome was 1-year change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR). Secondary outcomes were changes in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), incidence of moderately/severely impaired EGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and micro-to macroalbuminuria (UACR ≥30 mg/g), and reversion of moderately (45 to <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) to mildly impaired GFR (60 to <90 mL/min/1.73 m2) or micro-to macroalbuminuria. Results: After 1 year, EGFR declined by 0.66 and 1.25 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the intervention and control groups, respectively (mean difference, 0.58 mL/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: 0.15-1.02). There were no between-group differences in mean UACR or micro-to macroalbuminuria changes. Moderately/severely impaired EGFR incidence and reversion of moderately to mildly impaired GFR were 40% lower (HR 0.60; 0.44-0.82) and 92% higher (HR 1.92; 1.35-2.73), respectively, in the intervention group. Conclusions: The PREDIMED-Plus lifestyle intervention approach may preserve renal function and delay CKD progression in overweight/obese adults.This work was supported by the official Spanish Institutions for funding scientific biomedical research, CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund (5 coordinated FIS projects leaded by J.S.-S and J.V., including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI14/01374, PI14/00972, PI14/00728, PI14/01471, PI16/00473, PI16/00662, PI16/01873, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI16/00533, PI16/00381, PI16/00366, PI16/01522, PI16/01120, PI17/00764, PI17/01183, PI17/00855, PI17/01347, PI17/00525, PI17/01827, PI17/00532, PI17/00215, PI17/01441, PI17/00508, PI17/01732, PI17/00926; PI19/00957, PI19/00386, PI19/00309, PI19/01032, PI19/00576, PI19/00017, PI19/01226, PI19/00781, PI19/01560, and PI19/01332); the Especial Action Project entitled Implementación y evaluación de una intervención intensiva sobre la actividad física Cohorte PREDIMED-Plus grant to J.S.-S.; the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2014–2019; agreement #340918) granted to M.Á.M.-G.; the Recercaixa (No. 2013ACUP00194) grant to J.S.-S.; grants from the Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013, PS0358/2016, and PI0137/2018); the PROMETEO/2017/017 grant from the Generalitat Valenciana; the SEMERGEN grant; funds from the European Regional Development Fund (CB06/03); International Nut & Dried Fruit Council – FESNAD (Long-term effects of an energyrestricted Mediterranean diet on mortality and cardiovascular disease 2014–2015, No. 201302) (PI: M.Á.M.-G.); the AstraZeneca Young Investigators Award in Category of Obesity and T2D 2017 (PI: D.R.); grant of support to research groups No. 35/2011 (Balearic Islands Gov.; FEDER funds) (J.A.T. and C.B.); the JR17/00022 (ISCIII) grant to O.C.; the Boosting young talent call grant program for the development of IISPV research projects 2019–2021 (Ref.: 2019/IISPV/03 grant to A.D.-L.); the Societat Catalana d’Endocrinologia i Nutrició (SCEN) Clinical-Research Grant 2019 (IPs: J.S.-S. and A.D.-L.). Collaborative Nutrition and/or Obesity Project for Young Researchers 2019 supported by CIBEROBN entitled Lifestyle Interventions and Chronic Kidney Disease: Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Metabolomic Profile (LIKIDI study) grant to A.D.-L

Mediterranean diet and quality of life: Baseline cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial

[EN] We assessed if a 17-item score capturing adherence to a traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was associated with better health-related quality of life among older Spanish men and women with overweight or obesity harboring the metabolic syndrome. We analyzed baseline data from 6430 men and women (age 55-70 years) participating in the PREDIMED-Plus study. PREDIMED-Plus is a multi-centre randomized trial testing an energy-restricted MedDiet combined with promotion of physical activity and behavioral therapy for primary cardiovascular prevention compared to a MedDiet alone. Participants answered a 36-item questionnaire about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a 17-item questionnaire that assessed adherence to an MedDiet. We used ANCOVA and multivariable-adjusted linear regression models to compare baseline adjusted means of the quality of life scales according to categories of adherence to the MedDiet. Higher adherence to the MedDiet was independently associated with significantly better scores in the eight dimensions of HRQoL. Adjusted differences of > = 3 points between the highest and the lowest dietary adherence groups to the MedDiet were observed for vitality, emotional role, and mental health and of > = 2 points for the other dimensions. In conclusion, this study shows a positive association between adherence to a MedDiet and several dimensions of quality of lifeSIThis project is funded by the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2013-2018; 340918) granted to MAM-G, the Spanish Ministry of Health - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) for the periods 2014-2016, 2015-2017, 2017-2019 and 2018-2020, through theFondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (four coordinated FIS grants lead by Jordi Salas-Salvado´ and Josep Vidal, including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01374, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI16/00743 PI16/00501, PI17/000508), by a Recercaixa grant 2013(2013ACUP00194), by a grant from the Consejeríade Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013), and a SEMERGEN grant. None of these fundingsources plays any role in the design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data or in the decision to submit manuscripts for publicatio

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

IKZF1plus is a frequent biomarker of adverse prognosis in Mexican pediatric patients with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BackgroundRecurrent genetic alterations contributing to leukemogenesis have been identified in pediatric B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL), and some are useful for refining classification, prognosis, and treatment selection. IKZF1plus is a complex biomarker associated with a poor prognosis. It is characterized by IKZF1 deletion coexisting with PAX5, CDKN2A/2B, or PAR1 region deletions. The mutational spectrum and clinical impact of these alterations have scarcely been explored in Mexican pediatric patients with B-ALL. Here, we report the frequency of the IKZF1plus profile and the mutational spectrum of IKZF1, PAX5, CDKN2A/2B, and ERG genes and evaluate their impact on overall survival (OS) in a group of patients with B-ALL.MethodsA total of 206 pediatric patients with de novo B-ALL were included. DNA was obtained from bone marrow samples at diagnosis before treatment initiation. A custom-designed next-generation sequencing panel was used for mutational analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for OS estimation.ResultsWe identified the IKZF1plus profile in 21.8% of patients, which was higher than that previously reported in other studies. A significantly older age (p=0.04), a trend toward high-risk stratification (p=0.06), and a decrease in 5-year Overall Survival (OS) (p=0.009) were observed, although heterogeneous treatment protocols in our cohort would have impacted OS. A mutation frequency higher than that reported was found for IKZF1 (35.9%) and CDKN2A/2B (35.9%) but lower for PAX5 (26.6%). IKZF1MUT group was older at diagnosis (p=0.0002), and most of them were classified as high-risk (73.8%, p=0.02), while patients with CDKN2A/2BMUT had a higher leukocyte count (p=0.01) and a tendency toward a higher percentage of blasts (98.6%, &gt;50% blasts, p=0.05) than the non-mutated patients. A decrease in OS was found in IKZF1MUT and CDKN2A/2BMUT patients, but the significance was lost after IKZF1plus was removed.DiscussionOur findings demonstrated that Mexican patients with B-ALL have a higher prevalence of genetic markers associated with poor outcomes. Incorporating genomic methodologies into the diagnostic process, a significant unmet need in low- and mid-income countries, will allow a comprehensive identification of relevant alterations, improving disease classification, treatment selection, and the general outcome

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

El Bucio : revista digital del CEP Tenerife Sur

Se muestra la puesta en práctica de lo visto y aprendido por parte de los docentes a lo largo del curso de formación dirigido a profesores de Tecnología del IES San Miguel, correspondiente al curso 2016-2017. El curso, denominado “Acción Seminario Arduino”, ha sido promovido por la Consejería de Educación del Gobierno de Canarias y organizado por el CEP de Granadilla de Abona. Se pretende acercar el mundo de la robótica y la programación al profesorado de Tecnología, desde el punto de vista de la didáctica, y posteriormente transmitirlo al alumnado de forma intuitiva y amena. Para ello se utiliza el hardware y software desarrollado por Arduino. Se plantea de forma paralela trabajar con el alumnado de forma colaborativa.ES