Respuesta agron?mica, productiva y calidad nutricional del pasto colosuana (Bothriochloa pertusa) bajo diferentes fuentes de fertilizaci?n

42 p. Recurso Electr?nicoEl pasto Colosuana (Bothriochloa pertusa), es una gram?nea perenne que se da espont?nea y r?pidamente en las praderas de las zonas tropicales. Para aumentar la productividad del pasto, se realiza la fertilizaci?n del suelo que tiene por objeto restituir los nutrientes extra?dos por las plantas, para incrementar y/o mantener los rendimientos de forraje y aumentar la producci?n animal. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la producci?n de biomasa, calidad nutricional y evaluaci?n agron?mica del pasto Bothriochloa pertusa bajo la influencia de diferentes fuentes nitrogenadas. Se analizaron dos tipos de suelos franco arenoso y franco arcilloso, y en cada uno de ellos se sometieron a tres tratamientos de fertilizaci?n y un control, con tres repeticiones cada uno: T1 (control), T2 (compost), T3 (triple 15) y T4 (urea). Dentro de los resultados sobresalientes se encontraron diferencias significativas con un p < 0,05 entre los fertilizantes qu?micos (urea y triple 15) frente a los tratamientos control y fertilizante org?nico (compost) para las variables productivas, agron?micas y nutricionales, adicionalmente se evidenci? un mejor comportamiento de la gram?nea en el suelo francoarcilloso. Palabras clave: Fertilizaci?n qu?mica, org?nica, indicadores agron?micos y biomasa.The Colosuana grass (Bothriochloa pertusa), is a perennial grass that occurs spontaneously and quickly in the grasslands of the tropics. To increase the productivity of the grass, fertilization of the soil is carried out, which aims to restore the nutrients extracted by the plants, to increase and / or maintain forage yields and increase animal production. The objective of this study was to determine the production of biomass and evaluate agronomically the colossal grass with applications of different nitrogen sources. Two types of sandy loam and clay loam soils were analyzed, and in each of them three fertilization treatments and one control were applied, with three repetitions each: T1 (Urea), T2 (Triple 15), T3 (Compost) and T4 (Control), likewise, agronomic parameters and biomass production were evaluated. Among the outstanding results, significant differences were found with p <0.05 between chemical fertilizers (urea and triple 15) versus control treatments and organic fertilizer (compost). In addition, differences between soil type were found, finding that the grasses present in the loam-clayey soil presented the highest results. Keywords: Chemical, organic fertilization, agronomic indicators and biomass

Association of anti-citrullinated vimentin and anti-citrullinated ?-enolase antibodies with subsets of rheumatoid arthritis.

[EN] Objective. To determine whether the anti? citrullinated vimentin peptide 60?75 (anti?Cit-vimentin) and the immunodominant anti?citrullinated -enolase peptide 1 (anti?CEP-1) antibodies are associated with subsets of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) independently of the associations between anti?cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and clinical features of RA. Methods. The 3 antibody types were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 521 patients with RA and 173 healthy controls of Spanish ancestry. Genotypes for HLA?DRB1 alleles and rs2476601 in PTPN22 were available for these patients and controls plus an addi- tional 106 healthy controls. A combined analysis of the 3 antibodies was conducted using stratified contingency tables and logistic regression models. Results. A differential, particularly strong, and independent association was observed between the pres- ence of anti?Cit-vimentin antibodies and the presence of shared epitope (SE) alleles, specifically in patients carrying 2 SE alleles, and between the presence of anti? Cit-vimentin antibodies and the prevalence of joint erosion. Associations were observed between anti? CEP-1 positivity and the presence of HLA?DRB1 and PTPN22 risk alleles and their additive interaction. These associations were not accounted for by the anti- CCP status. Conclusion. Our results indicate that the 2 anti- bodies against citrullinated peptides analyzed in this study add specific information beyond that obtained with the anti-CCP status. They define subgroups of patients with RA in which genetic factors have different weight and there is an observed difference in the prev- alence of erosions.Fondo de Investigaci?n Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)European Regional Development Fund of the European UnionXunta de GaliciaFundaci?n Espa?ola de Reumatolog?

Premature ventricular contractions in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator cardiac resynchronization therapy device: Results from the UMBRELLA registry

BACKGROUND: Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) are known to reduce the percentage of biventricular (BiV) pacing in patients with cardiac resynchronization (CRT), decreasing the clinical response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of a high PVC burden, as well as therapeutic action (pharmacotherapy, catheter ablation or device programming), in a large CRT implantable-defibrillator (CRT-D) population. METHODS: Patients with a CRT-D device from the UMBRELLA multicenter prospective remote monitoring registry were included. The PVC count was collected from each remote monitoring transmission. Patients were divided into two high (>/=1 transmission >/=200/>/=400 PVC/h, respectively) and one low (all transmissions /=200/>/=400 PVC/h, respectively). The majority of patients in the high PVC groups were not treated (61 [79%] and 32 [74%], respectively. Considering the untreated patients in the high PVC groups, median PVC/h was 199 (interquartile range [IQR]: 196) and 271 (IQR: 330), respectively. The PVC burden (proportion of time with PVC/h >/= 200/>/=400) was 40% (IQR 70) and 29% (IQR 59), respectively. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of CRT-D patients presented a high PVC count, however, few received treatment. In the untreated patients with a high PVC count, the PVC burden during follow-up varied substantially. Several consecutive recordings of a high PVC count should be warranted before considering therapeutic action such as catheter ablation

Increased Th17-Related Cytokine Serum Levels in Patients With Multiple Polyps of Unexplained Origin

OBJECTIVES: Most patients with multiple colonic polyps do not have a known genetic or hereditary origin. Our aim was to analyze the presence of inflammatory cytokines and levels of glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with multiple colonic polyps. METHODS: Eighty-three patients with 10 or more adenomatous or serrated polyps and 53 control people with normal colonoscopy were included. Smoking habits were registered, and glucose, CRP, and basal insulin in the serum/blood were measured. Quantification of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, IL-17A, and IL-23 cytokine levels in the serum was performed by a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Smoking and diabetes were more prevalent in those with colonic polyps than in the control people (67% vs 16%, P = 0.001; 11% vs 2%, P = 0.048). In addition, the cytokine serum levels were higher, i.e., IL-2 (P = 0.001), IL-4 (P = 0.001), IL-6 (P = 0.001), IL-17A (P = 0.001), IL-23 (P = 0.014), and CRP (P = 0.003). Adjusting for sex, smoking, and diabetes in a multivariate analysis, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23 remained independently elevated in cases with multiple polyps. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that immune responses mediated by Th17 cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple colonic polyps

Pooling for SARS-CoV-2 control in care institutions

BACKGROUND: Workers and residents in Care Homes are considered at special risk for the acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection, due to the infectivity and high mortality rate in the case of residents, compared to other containment areas. The role of presymptomatic people in transmission has been shown to be important and the early detection of these people is critical for the control of new outbreaks. Pooling strategies have proven to preserve SARS-CoV-2 testing resources. The aims of the present study, based in our local experience, were (a) to describe SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in institutionalized people in Galicia (Spain) during the Coronavirus pandemic and (b) to evaluate the expected performance of a pooling strategy using RT-PCR for the next rounds of screening of institutionalized people. METHODS: A total of 25,386 Nasopharyngeal swab samples from the total of the residents and workers at Care Homes in Galicia (March to May 2020) were individually tested using RT-PCR. Prevalence and quantification cycle (Cq) value distribution of positives was calculated. Besides, 26 pools of 20 samples and 14 pools of 5 samples were tested using RT-PCR as well (1 positive/pool). Pooling proof of concept was performed in two populations with 1.7 and 2% prevalence. RESULTS: Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection at Care Homes was uneven (0-60%). As the virus circulation global rate was low in our area (3.32%), the number of people at risk of acquiring the infection continues to be very high. In this work, we have successfully demonstrated that pooling of different groups of samples at low prevalence clusters, can be done with a small average delay on Cq values (5 and 2.85 cycles for pools of 20 and 5 samples, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A new screening system with guaranteed protection is required for small clusters, previously covered with individual testing. Our proposal for Care Homes, once prevalence zero is achieved, would include successive rounds of testing using a pooling solution for transmission control preserving testing resources. Scale-up of this method may be of utility to confront larger clusters to avoid the viral circulation and keeping them operative

The subpopulation pattern of eel sperm is affected by post-activation time, hormonal treatment and thermal regime

[EN] There has been a marked reduction in natural stocks of eels (genus Anguilla) over the past 60 years, and the culture of eels is still based on the capture of very large quantities of juveniles. It is necessary to close the life cycle in captivity in order to ease the pressure on wild populations. The aims of the present study were to evaluate sperm subpopulations (through cluster analysis of computer-aided sperm analysis data) in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and to assess the effects of motility acquisition time after activation (i.e. at 30, 60 and 90 s), the thermal regimen (i.e. 10 degrees C (T10) or 15 degrees C (T15) and up to 20 degrees C, or constant at 20 degrees C (T20)) and hormonal treatments (i.e. human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), recombinant (r) hCG or pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)) on these subpopulations. In all cases, we obtained three subpopulations of spermatozoa: low velocity and linear (S1); high velocity with low linearity (S2); and high velocity and linear (S3; considered high quality). Total motility and S1 were affected by acquisition time; thus, 30 s is recommended as the standard time for motility acquisition. When eels were kept at 20 degrees C (T20), motility data fitted quadratic models, with the highest motility and proportion of S3 between Weeks 8 and 12 after the first injection. Lower temperatures (T10, T15) delayed spermiation and the obtaining of high-quality spermatozoa (S3), but did not seem to alter the spermiation process (similar subpopulation pattern). Conversely, the hormonal treatments altered both the dynamics of the subpopulation pattern and the onset of spermiation (with PMSG delaying it). Total motility and the yield of S3 with the widely used hCG treatment varied throughout the spermiation period. However, using rhCG allowed us to obtain high-quality and constant motility for most of the study (Weeks 7-20), and the S3 yield was also higher overall (61.8 +/- 1.3%; mean +/- s.e.m.) and more stable over time than the other hormonal treatments (averaging 53.0 +/- 1.4%). Using T20 and rhCG would be more economical and practical, allowing us to obtain a higher number of S3 spermatozoa over an extended time.This study was funded by the European Community's 7th Framework Program under the Theme 2 'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Bio-technology', grant agreement no. 245257 (PRO-EEL) and Generalitat Valenciana (ACOMP/2012/086). VG and MCV have predoctoral grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AGL2010-16009) and Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) PAID Program (2011-S2-02-6521), respectively. DSP was supported by a contract cofinanced by Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) and UPV (PTA2011-4948-I). FM-P was supported by the Ramon y Cajal program (MICINN, RYC-2008-02560).Gallego Albiach, V.; Vilchez Olivencia, MC.; Peñaranda, D.; Pérez Igualada, LM.; Herraez, MP.; Asturiano Nemesio, JF.; Martinez-Pastor, F. (2015). The subpopulation pattern of eel sperm is affected by post-activation time, hormonal treatment and thermal regime. Reproduction, Fertility and Development. 27(3):529-543. https://doi.org/10.1071/RD13198S52954327

LipoDDx: a mobile application for identification of rare lipodystrophy syndromes

BACKGROUND: Lipodystrophy syndromes are a group of disorders characterized by a loss of adipose tissue once other situations of nutritional deprivation or exacerbated catabolism have been ruled out. With the exception of the HIV-associated lipodystrophy, they have a very low prevalence, which together with their large phenotypic heterogeneity makes their identification difficult, even for endocrinologists and pediatricians. This leads to significant delays in diagnosis or even to misdiagnosis. Our group has developed an algorithm that identifies the more than 40 rare lipodystrophy subtypes described to date. This algorithm has been implemented in a free mobile application, LipoDDx(R). Our aim was to establish the effectiveness of LipoDDx(R). Forty clinical records of patients with a diagnosis of certainty of most lipodystrophy subtypes were analyzed, including subjects without lipodystrophy. The medical records, blinded for diagnosis, were evaluated by 13 physicians, 1 biochemist and 1 dentist. Each evaluator first gave his/her results based on his/her own criteria. Then, a second diagnosis was given using LipoDDx(R). The results were analysed based on a score table according to the complexity of each case and the prevalence of the disease. RESULTS: LipoDDx(R) provides a user-friendly environment, based on usually dichotomous questions or choice of clinical signs from drop-down menus. The final result provided by this app for a particular case can be a low/high probability of suffering a particular lipodystrophy subtype. Without using LipoDDx(R) the success rate was 17 +/- 20%, while with LipoDDx(R) the success rate was 79 +/- 20% (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LipoDDx(R) is a free app that enables the identification of subtypes of rare lipodystrophies, which in this small cohort has around 80% effectiveness, which will be of help to doctors who are not experts in this field. However, it will be necessary to analyze more cases in order to obtain a more accurate efficiency value

FCGR polymorphisms in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with Fc-containing TNF inhibitors

[EN] Objectives: Reproducible association of a functional polymorphism in FCGR2A with response to a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) led us to explore other Fc?R functional polymorphisms. Methods: Functional polymorphisms FCGR3A F158V, FCGR2B I223T and promoter VNTR in FCGRT were analyzed in up to 429 patients with RA. Response to TNFi was recorded during standard care at 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Fixed effects meta-analysis of studies addressing FCGR3A F158V polymorphism, which is the most studied of these polymorphisms, was conducted with inverse variance weighting. Results: None of the functional polymorphisms were associated with change in DAS28. Meta-analysis of the seven studies (899 patients) with available data addressing association of FCGR3A F158V with response to TNFi in RA showed no association (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.8-1.5; p = 0.5). Conclusion: None of the three functional polymorphisms in Fc?R genes showed association with response to TNFi in patients with RA. These negative results were obtained in spite of the larger size of this study relative to previous studies addressing the same polymorphisms. In addition, meta-analysis of FCGR3A F158V was also negative against the results provided by previous studies

Genome-wide association analysis of dementia and its clinical endophenotypes reveal novel loci associated with Alzheimer's disease and three causality networks: The GR@ACE project

INTRODUCTION: Large variability among Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases might impact genetic discoveries and complicate dissection of underlying biological pathways. METHODS: Genome Research at Fundacio ACE (GR@ACE) is a genome-wide study of dementia and its clinical endophenotypes, defined based on AD's clinical certainty and vascular burden. We assessed the impact of known AD loci across endophenotypes to generate loci categories. We incorporated gene coexpression data and conducted pathway analysis per category. Finally, to evaluate the effect of heterogeneity in genetic studies, GR@ACE series were meta-analyzed with additional genome-wide association study data sets. RESULTS: We classified known AD loci into three categories, which might reflect the disease clinical heterogeneity. Vascular processes were only detected as a causal mechanism in probable AD. The meta-analysis strategy revealed the ANKRD31-rs4704171 and NDUFAF6-rs10098778 and confirmed SCIMP-rs7225151 and CD33-rs3865444. DISCUSSION: The regulation of vasculature is a prominent causal component of probable AD. GR@ACE meta-analysis revealed novel AD genetic signals, strongly driven by the presence of clinical heterogeneity in the AD series

Anti-tumour necrosis factor discontinuation in inflammatory bowel disease patients in remission: study protocol of a prospective, multicentre, randomized clinical trial

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease who achieve remission with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs may have treatment withdrawn due to safety concerns and cost considerations, but there is a lack of prospective, controlled data investigating this strategy. The primary study aim is to compare the rates of clinical remission at 1?year in patients who discontinue anti-TNF treatment versus those who continue treatment. Methods: This is an ongoing, prospective, double-blind, multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled study in patients with Crohn?s disease or ulcerative colitis who have achieved clinical remission for ?6?months with an anti-TNF treatment and an immunosuppressant. Patients are being randomized 1:1 to discontinue anti-TNF therapy or continue therapy. Randomization stratifies patients by the type of inflammatory bowel disease and drug (infliximab versus adalimumab) at study inclusion. The primary endpoint of the study is sustained clinical remission at 1?year. Other endpoints include endoscopic and radiological activity, patient-reported outcomes (quality of life, work productivity), safety and predictive factors for relapse. The required sample size is 194 patients. In addition to the main analysis (discontinuation versus continuation), subanalyses will include stratification by type of inflammatory bowel disease, phenotype and previous treatment. Biological samples will be obtained to identify factors predictive of relapse after treatment withdrawal. Results: Enrolment began in 2016, and the study is expected to end in 2020. Conclusions: This study will contribute prospective, controlled data on outcomes and predictors of relapse in patients with inflammatory bowel disease after withdrawal of anti-TNF agents following achievement of clinical remission. Clinical trial reference number: EudraCT 2015-001410-1