Identification of antitumoral agents against human pancreatic cancer cells from Asteraceae and Lamiaceae plant extracts.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and mortal cancers. Although several drugs have been proposed for its treatment, it remains resistant and new alternatives are needed. In this context, plants and their derivatives constitute a relevant source of bioactive components which might efficiently inhibit tumor cell progression. METHODS: In this study, we have analyzed the potential anti-carcinogenic effect of different Asteraceae (Achillea millefolium and Calendula officinalis) and Lamiaceae (Melissa officinalis and Origanum majorana) plant extracts obtained by different green technologies (Supercritical CO2 Extraction -SFE- and Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction -UAE-) to identify efficient plant extracts against human pancreatic cancer cells that could constitute the basis of novel treatment approaches. RESULTS: Asteraceae extracts showed better results as antitumoral agents than Lamiaceae by inducing cytotoxicity and inhibiting cell transformation, and SFE extracts were most efficient than UAE extracts. In addition, SFE derived plant extracts from Achillea millefolium and Calendula officinalis displayed synergism with the chemotherapeutic 5-Fluororacil. CONCLUSION: These results show how Yarrow and Marigold SFE-derived extracts can inhibit pancreatic cancer cell growth, and could be proposed for a comprehensive study to determine the molecular mechanisms involved in their bioactivity with the final aim to propose them as potential adjuvants in pancreatic cancer therapy.

[Evolution of serologically confirmed cases of mumps in the Madrid community, Spain, during a period of 7 years (2000--2006)]. / Evolución de los casos de parotiditis confirmados serológicamente en la Comunidad de Madrid durante un período de 7 años (2000--2006).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the evolution of serologically confirmed cases of mumps in the Madrid Community from 2000 to 2006. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cases with data about age, sex and with samples obtained < or = 30 days after the onset of symptoms were included. IgM determination was performed by indirect ELISA (Enzygnost Mumps; Dade Behring). IgM positive cases were considered as confirmed. RESULTS: Information was available from 1,173 cases. Two hundred and fifty two of them (21.5%) were confirmed. The percentage of confirmed cases by year ranged between 21.4% and 27.2% (except for 2003 [10.7%], and 2004 [2.1%]). In the first years most confirmed cases corresponded to children (85.7% in 2000 and 68.6% in 2001) while in last years it was the opposite (10.7% in 2005 and 23.4% en 2006). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the appearance of 2 epidemic waves (in 2000--2002 and in 2005--2006). Currently, mumps should not be considered an exclusively pediatric disease.

Sensitivity and specificity of immunoglobulin G titer for the diagnosis of mumps virus in infected patients depending on vaccination status.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of serological detection of mumps IgM and titration of IgG in patients with acute parotitis according to their vaccination status. The detection of mumps virus RNA in saliva by RT-PCR was used as reference. 116 patients (109 of them previously vaccinated) with mumps RT-PCR-negative results and 21 (19 vaccinated) with mumps RT-PCR-positive results were studied. Mumps-specific IgM and IgG were assayed by EIA (Enzygnost, Dade Behring, Germany). IgM results were expressed as positive or negative. For IgG, several cut-offs were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Seven RT-PCR-positive and five RT-PCR-negative patients showed IgM-positive results (sensitivity 33.3% and specificity 95.7%). Among vaccinated patients, the sensitivity and specificity of IgM were 26.3% (5/19) and 99.1% (108/109). For IgG, a titer of 5,000 in all the patients showed a sensitivity of 76.2% (16/21) and a specificity of 83.6% (97/116). In vaccinated patients, the corresponding figures for this cut-off were 84.2% (16/19) and 83.5% (91/109), respectively. Although IgM detection against mumps is highly specific, its sensitivity is very low in immunized subjects. In this group, the titration of IgG could serve as an additional diagnostic tool.

[Assessment of two methods of antigenic detection by ELISA for the diagnosis of norovirus outbreaks]. / Evaluación de dos métodos de detección antigénica por ELISA para el diagnóstico de brotes causados por norovirus.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess two ELISA techniques for the detection of outbreaks of norovirus. METHOD: One-hundred and sixty-five fecal samples from patients affected in 30 outbreaks were studied. RESULTS: On the basis of a specific consensus criterion between techniques for confirming outbreaks, the sensitivity and specificity was respectively 80% and 90% for RIDASCREEN, and 80% and 100% for IDEIA. CONCLUSION: These techniques could be useful for rapid detection of norovirus outbreaks in laboratories that lack molecular confirmation techniques.

[Diagnostic performance of specific IgM detection and genomic amplification in rubella]. / Estudio del rendimiento diagnóstico de la detección de IgM específica y de la amplificación genómica de rubéola.

Nowadays, most exanthematic diseases for which a vaccine is available affect young adults. A large percentage of these cases prove to be rubella. The aim of this study is to assess the performance of specific IgM and RT-PCR for the diagnosis of rubella infection. Fifty-nine patients with clinically suspected measles or rubella, and with available serum, whole blood, urine and pharyngeal exudate specimens were studied. RT-PCR in pharyngeal exudate was found to be the most effective marker at the start of the disease (mean, 2.5 days). IgM detection yielded a larger percentage of positive results (76.2%), but at a later time (3.7 days).