Expression of spindle assembly checkpoint proteins BubR1 and Mad2 expression as potential biomarkers of malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia: an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) is a surveillance mechanism essential to ensure the accuracy of chromosome segregation during mitosis. Our aim was to evaluate the expression of SAC proteins in oral carcinogenesis, and to assess their potential in predicting malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analysed the immunoexpression of BubR1, Mad2, Bub3, and Spindly proteins in 64 oral biopsies from 52 oral leukoplakias and 12 normal tissues. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to evaluate predictive factors for malignant transformation (MT). RESULTS: We observed that BubR1 and Mad2 were more highly expressed in high dysplasia grade lesions than in low grade or normal tissues (P<0.05). High expression of Spindly was significantly correlated with a high Ki-67 score (P=0.004). Six (11.5%) oral leukoplakias underwent malignant transformation. In univariate analysis, the binary dysplasia grade (high grade) (P<0.001) was associated with a higher risk of malignant transformation as well as high BubR1 (P<0.001) and high Mad2 (P=0.013) expression. In multivariate analysis, high expression of BubR1 and Mad2 when combined showed an increased risk for malignant transformation (P=0.013; HR of 4.6, 95% CI of 1.4-15.1). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that BubR1 and Mad2 were associated with an increased risk for malignant transformation independently of histological grade and could be potential and useful predictive risk markers of malignant transformation in oral leukoplakias.

A histological evaluation of the surgical margins from human oral fibrous-epithelial lesions excised with CO2 laser, Diode laser, Er:YAG laser, Nd:YAG laser, electrosurgical scalpel and cold scalpel.

BACKGROUND: We aim to evaluate the presence of histological artefacts in the surgical margins of human oral fibro-epithelial hyperplasias excised with lasers of different wavelengths, and also electrosurgical scalpel and cold scalpel. Moreover, we aim to determine if some of these instruments could impair the normal histological diagnosis of these lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 130 consecutive surgical samples of 80 females and 50 males (mean age of 53.82±16.55) with a histological diagnosis of an oral benign fibrous-epithelial hyperplasias. The samples were categorized into 6 groups according to the type of instrument used: CO2 laser group, diode laser group, Er:YAG laser group, Nd:YAG laser group, electrosurgical scalpel group and cold scalpel group. Histological instrument-induced changes were microscopic evaluated and related with clinical and pathological variables. RESULTS: The instrument with highest tissue damage extension (TDE) was the electrosurgical scalpel (1002.2µm±434.92), followed by diode laser (913.73 µm±322.45), Nd:YAG (899.83µm±327.75), CO2 laser (538.37µm±170.50), Er:YAG laser (166.47µm±123.85), and at last with fewer alterations the cold scalpel group (2.36µm±7.27) (P < 0.001). The most regular incision was observed in CO2 laser group, followed by Er:YAG laser, Nd:YAG laser, electrosurgical scalpel and diode laser group with the less regular incision using cold scalpel as comparison (P < 0.001). A correlation was found between the incision score and TDE (P < 0.001). Regarding histological diagnosis, no case showed any limitation of diagnosis related with the use of any instrument evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that lasers can be used for the excision of oral benign fibrous-epithelial hyperplasias, without hispathological diagnosis limitations, as long as the physical properties of each laser are known and respected. Er:YAG laser have shown to be a laser with few tissue damage extension and with good incision regularity, been a possible instrument of choice for the surgical removal of these lesions.

Evaluation of Resistance to Leaf Scald by Quantitative PCR of Xanthomonas albilineans in Sugarcane.

Leaf scald, caused by Xanthomonas albilineans, is a major sugarcane disease controlled primarily with host resistance. Because visual evaluation can be uncertain due to erratic symptom expression, a reliable resistance screening method is needed. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with potential for resistance screening was used to compare bacterial populations in 31 clones at different times after inoculation, and the correlation with the visual symptom rating method was determined. Comparisons of bacterial populations quantified by qPCR and visual symptom severity ratings in systemically infected leaves showed variable results, with the highest correlation at 8 weeks after inoculation. To measure consistency, the correlation was determined among three different field experiments for data obtained with the same method at different times after inoculation. The qPCR assay was more consistent among experiments compared with visual symptom rating at 8 weeks after inoculation. Susceptible check cultivars always had high bacterial populations but the severe inoculation resulted in moderate to high bacterial populations in two of three resistant checks in some experiments. The results suggest that qPCR can provide an improved method to evaluate resistance to leaf scald in sugarcane; however, multiple experiments will be needed to accurately determine clone resistance levels.

Detection and Quantification of Xanthomonas albilineans by qPCR and Potential Characterization of Sugarcane Resistance to Leaf Scald.

Leaf scald is an important disease of sugarcane with erratic symptom expression. Latency represents a threat to germplasm exchange, and erratic symptom development makes accurate evaluation of disease resistance during breeding and selection problematic. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for Xanthomonas albilineans, the causal agent of leaf scald, were developed and evaluated for the sensitive, specific detection and quantification of the pathogen. Assays with SYBR Green primers and TaqMan probe and primers derived from the albicidin toxin biosynthesis gene cluster efficiently and reproducibly amplified X. albilineans. Detection was more sensitive with qPCR compared with conventional PCR. Assays were specific for X. albilineans and sap extracts did not inhibit the qPCR reaction. Leaf-scald-resistant and -susceptible cultivars were distinguished by infection incidence, disease severity, and X. albilineans population determined by SYBR Green qPCR in both greenhouse and field experiments. Populations of X. albilineans varied in different tissues. Differences were the greatest within tissues in resistant cultivars, and bacterial populations in systemically infected, young, not yet fully emerged leaves exhibited the greatest differences between resistant and susceptible cultivars. The results demonstrate that qPCR is a highly sensitive method for the detection of X. albilineans that could provide a reliable method for leaf scald resistance screening.

First Report of Orange Rust of Sugarcane Caused by Puccinia kuehnii in Ecuador.

Orange rust, Puccinia kuehnii (W. Krüger) E.J. Butler, is an important disease of sugarcane (complex hybrid of Saccharum L. species) that causes up to 53% yield loss (3), and can eliminate sugarcane clones in breeding programs. Initially confined to the Asia-Oceania region, P. kuehnii was reported in Florida in June 2007 (2) followed by confirmation in Central and South America. Orange rust pustules were observed on August 5, 2011, in commercial sugarcane fields located in the Ecuadorian Pacific coast of South America. Pustules were observed on cultivar SP79-2233 and sugarcane clones of the CINCAE breeding program (EC06-351, EC06-340, and EC01-744). Low levels of disease incidence and severity were observed in the sugarcane germplasm. Observation under a light microscope showed typical irregularly echinulate urediniospores that were pale in color with thickened apices and paraphyses inconspicuous to absent, such as those reported to be P. kuehnii (4). DNA of urediniospores were extracted and amplified using Pk1F and PK1R qPCR primers (5). Additionally, the 28s large ribosomal subunit DNA was sequenced (1), resulting in a qPCR and 100% sequence identity with a partial sequence of the P. kuehnii 28S ribosomal RNA gene, accession GU058010 (932/932 base pairs, GenBank Accession No. KF202306). Based on urediniospore morphology, DNA amplification, and sequence analysis, the causal agent of the rust observed in Ecuador was confirmed to be P. kuehnii. Commercial varieties have not yet shown symptoms of infections. However, a survey conducted in 2011 and 2012 showed an increase of disease severity from 3% to 28% in the susceptible cv. SP79-2233. Disease symptoms were evident from stalk growth to maturity (7 to 12 months), especially at the beginning of the harvesting season. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence, distribution, and disease spread by the sugarcane orange rust pathogen P. kuehnii in Ecuador. References: (1) M. C. Aime. Mycoscience 47:112, 2006. (2) J. C. Comstock et al. Plant Dis. 92:175, 2008. (3) J. C. Comstock et al. ASSCT. 29:82, 2009. (4) L. Dixon and L. Castlebury. Orange Rust of Sugarcane - Puccinia kuehnii. Syst. Mycol. Microbiol. Lab. Retrieved from /sbmlweb/fungi/index.cfm, August 12, 2011. (5) N. C. Glynn et al. Plant Pathol. 59:703, 2010.

[Toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by phenytoin and whole brain radiotherapy]. / Necrolisis epidérmica tóxica inducida por fenitoína y radioterapia holocraneal.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) have been associated with some drugs, particularly anticonvulsants such as phenytoin. Some authors have pointed out an increased risk of TEN/SJS when phenytoin is associated with whole brain radiotherapy. We report a patient diagnosed with breast adenocarcinoma and brain metastases that was on treatment with phenytoin and, shortly after receiving whole brain radiotherapy, developed toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Preliminary studies on the microbiological characterization of lactic acid bacteria in suero costeño, a Colombian traditional fermented milk product.

Suero costeño is a fermented milk product from the Colombian Atlantic coast, which is produced by the spontaneous acidification of raw milk due to the action of environmental microbes during traditional and semi-industrial processes. Eleven fermentations were carried out in experimental settings replicating traditional conditions and changes in concentration among microbial groups involved during the process (Aerobic Mesophilic bacteria, Yeasts, Enterobacteriaceae and Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)). LAB plays an important role in the fermentation process, especially during the final stage (24 hours). In addition, yeasts seem to have an effect on fermentation, showing an increase during the first hours of the process, while Enterobacterial counts decreased during fermentation. Thirty six LAB strains were isolated from commercial samples and thirty two were identified using the API 50 CH kit (BioMCrieux). 41% of the strains identified belonged to the species Lb. plantarum, and 19% were Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei. Sugars fermented by LAB include milk carbohydrates such as D-Lactose, D-Glucose and D-Galactose. Because of their capacity to use other carbohydrates (manose, celobiose, maltose, fructose, ribose, trehalose, salicin, gentiobiose), it would also be possible to use these strains as starter cultures for other fermentations.

[Characteristics of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: results of the Chilean national registry of heart failure, ICARO]. / Características de la insuficiencia cardíaca en pacientes con fracción de eyección preservada: resultados del registro Nacional de insuficiencia Cardíaca, grupo ICARO.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (EF) is a condition of growing interest due to its high prevalence and difficult management. AIM: To evaluate the clinical profile of patients hospitalized with HF and preserved EF in Chilean hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective registry of 15 centers. Among 649 patients hospitalized in functional class III and IV, an echocardiogram was performed to 353. Preserved EF was defined quantitatively as an EF >50%. RESULTS: Out the 353 patients, 45% presented an EF >50%. Mean age in patients with EF >50 and -50% was 66+/-13 and 67+/-13 years, respectively. Among patients with HF and EF >50%, the proportion of women was higher (73.7 and 36.3%, p <0.001), the proportion of patients with a history of hypertension (76.8 and 65.5%, p <0.05) and the presence of atrial fibrillation was also higher (62.3 and 47.8%, p <0.01) and a history of myocardial infarction was lower (17.1 and 29.5%, p <0.05). The diastolic diameter of the left ventricle was significantly lower in HF with preserved EF (51.0+10 and 63.5+10 mm respectively, p <0.001). No differences in the length of hospital stay and mortality were observed between HF with depressed and preserved EF. Female gender was an independent predictor for the presence of HF with preserved EF (Odds ratio: 2.62; confidence intervals: 1.1-6.1). CONCLUSIONS: HF and preserved EF is common among hospitalized patients, particularly in women and subjects with a history of hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Hospitalization length and mortality were similar in patients with either preserved or depressed EF.

Características de la insuficiencia cardíaca en pacientes con fracción de eyección preservada: Resultados del Registro Nacional de Insuficiencia Cardíaca, Grupo ICARO / Characteristics of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Results of the Chilean National Registry of Heart Failure, ICARO

Background: Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (EF) is a condition of growing interest due to its high prevalence and difficult management. Aim: To evaluate the clinical profile of patients hospitalized with HF and preserved EF in Chilean hospitals. Material and Methods: Prospective registry of 15 centers. Among 649 patients hospitalized in functional class III and IV, an echocardiogram was performed to 353. Preserved EF was defined quantitatively as an EF >50%. Results: Out the 353 patients, 45% presented an EF >50%. Mean age in patients with EF >50 and ­50% was 66±13 and 67±13 years, respectively. Among patients with HF and EF >50%, the proportion of women was higher (73.7 and 36.3%, p <0.001), the proportion of patients with a history of hypertension (76.8 and 65.5%, p <0.05) and the presence of atrial fibrillation was also higher (62.3 and 47.8%, p <0.01) and a history of myocardial infarction was lower (17.1 and 29.5%, p <0.05). The diastolic diameter of the left ventricle was significantly lower in HF with preserved EF (51.0+10 and 63.5+10 mm respectively, p <0.001). No differences in the length of hospital stay and mortality were observed between HF with depressed and preserved EF. Female gender was an independent predictor for the presence of HF with preserved EF (Odds ratio: 2.62; confidence intervals: 1.1-6.1). Conclusions: HF and preserved EF is common among hospitalized patients, particularly in women and subjects with a history of hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Hospitalization length and mortality were similar in patients with either preserved or depressed EF.

Comparación de digoxina y enalapril en insuficiencia cardíaca secundaria a insuficiencia mitral / Comparison of the effects of digoxin or enalapril in the treatment of heart failure due to mitral insufficiency

Background: There is not much evidence about the usefulness of digoxin or enalapril in the treatment of heart failure due to mitral insufficiency. Aim: to compare digoxin and enalapril in the treatmen of heart failure due to mitral insufficiency. Patients and methods: Patients with mitral insufficiency, in sinus rhythm, with a heart failure grade II or III and with echocardiographic left ventricular dilatation were eligible for the study. They received sequentially, during 12 weeks each, digoxin 0.25 mg/day or enalapril in doses up to 20 mg/day, with a washout in-between period of 2 weeks. The order of the sequence was determined randomly. At the start and end of treatment, functional class according to NYHA and maximal exercise tolerance in the treadmil were assessed and a color Doppler echocardiogram was done to measure ventricular dimensions, function and degree of mitral insufficiency. Results: Nine patients on enalapril and 12 on digoxin improved their functional capacity. Digoxin improved exercise time in 76ñ168 sec (p= 0.022), whereas this change was not significant with enalapril (38ñ158 sec; p= 0.2). With enalapril treatmen, ventricular diastolic dimensiondecreased from 59.3ñ8.1 to 58ñ9.3 mm and the area of mitral insufficiency decreased from 8.1ñ3.5 to 6.6ñ3.1 cm2. Digoxin did not induce any significant echocardiographic change. Conclusions: In these patients, digoxin and enalapril improved functional class. Digoxin improved exercise time and enalapril reduced ventricular dimensions and mitral insufficiency

[Immunity to measles, mumps and rubella in children vaccinated with triple viral vaccine]. / Inmunidad frente a sarampión, rubéola y parotiditis en niños vacunados con la triple vírica.

OBJECTIVE: To check up on measles-mumps-rubella immunity in children vaccinated with MMR vaccine. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study trough seroepidemiological survey. SETTING: Oliver-Miralbueno Health Centre, Zaragoza. PATIENTS: 92 healthy children of 5, 7 and 9 years of age who went for clinical preventive services. All of them vaccinated with MMR at the age of 15 to 18 months. None of them had suffered from measles, mumps or rubella. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 1) The percentage of seronegative children (title less than 1:8) was: 9.8% for measles, 8.7% for rubella, and 27.2% for mumps. 2) As to the time differences among seropositive and seronegative children. CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals that there is a high percentage of MMR vaccinated children showing minimal or undetectable levels of antibodies.

H-1, C-13, and F-19 nuclear magnetic resonance assignments of 3,3-difluoro-5 alpha-androstane-17 beta-ol acetate.

The molecular structure of 3,3-difluoro-5 alpha-androstane-17 beta-ol acetate was analyzed by 1H, 13C, and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques; two-dimensional NMR was used to assigned 1H and 13C resonances. The 1H NMR spectrum in deuterated chloroform shows three sharp singlets (delta = 0.74, 0.79, and 2.00 ppm) integrating for three protons each, an isolated triplet at 4.55 ppm integrating for one proton, and overlapping multiplets between 0.72 and 2.12 ppm integrating for 31 protons. The 13C spectrum shows 18 resonances between 10 and 55 ppm, and three additional resonances at 82.9, 124.0, and 171.5 ppm. The 19F[1H] spectrum shows two sets of doublets (observed 2J = 150 Hz) at 5.00 and -4.80 ppm. Multiplets arising from 19F-13C J-coupling provide the starting assignment for all resonances by means of 1H homonuclear correlation (COSY) and 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy.

Efectos colaterales del dipiridamol en el test de talio / Side effects of dypiridamole during thallium myocardial perfusion imaging

La prueba de Talio con Dipiridamol constituye en la actualidad un método no invasivo de gran utilidad para evaluar a pacientes en quienes se sospecha o se ha confirmado una enfermedad coronaria. El Dipiridamol se puede administrar por vía endovenosa u oral, produce vasodilatación coronaria y puede poner en evidencia defectos de reperfusión miocárdica. Su administración puede asociarse a una incidencia variable de efectos colaterales. Comunicamos nuestra experiencia con la administración de Dipiridamol en 286 pacientes, 223 de ellos por vía endovenosa y 63 por vía oral. El 87% de los pacientes tenía evidencia previa de enfermedad coronaria. La administración de Dipiridamol se asoció a un aumento significativo de la frecuencia cardiaca y descenso también significativo de la presión arterial. Encontramos efectos colaterales en el 29,7% de los pacientes que recibieron Dipiridamol endovenoso y en el 32,3% de los que recibieron Dipiridamol oral. El síntoma colateral más frecuente, 15,4%, fue el dolor torácico, que se presentó de preferencia, 81,3%, en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria y cedió con la administración de Trinitina y/o Aminofilina. Otros síntomas colaterales fueron cefalea, náuseas y/o vómitos, pero con una incidencia menor. Concluimos en que los síntomas colaterales durante la prueba de Talio con Dipiridamol son frecuentes, la mayoría de ellos leves y no son diferentes según el tipo de administración oral o endovenosa de la droga. El síntoma colateral más severo, dolor torácico, revierte facilmente con la administración de Trinitina o Aminofilina

Muerte súbita en el adulto joven sin cardiopatía demostrable: características clínicas y electrofisiológicas en 3 casos / Sudden cardiac death in 3 young patients without overt heart disease

We reported 3 young adult males who developed spontaneous ventricular fibrillation in the abscence of demonstrable heart disease. Extensive clincial and elelcrophysiilogic evaluation failed to disclose a cause for the arrhythmia. Antiarrhythmic drugs were empirically used in all patients but 2 of then eventually died. Thus, unexplained ventricular fibrillation without demonstrable heart disease carries a serious short term prognosis. An implantable cardiovertodefibrillator may be the therapy of choice in these cases

[Hematologic repercussions of physical exercise in the mountains]. / Repercusiones hematológicas del ejercicio físico en montaña.

Marked decrease of serum ferritin was found in 28 cadets of the General Military Academy after a 15-day high-mountain drill period during which they practised ski 5 hours a day. No significant changes were found in serum iron, total iron binding capacity, vitamin B 12 and folates. Slight differences found in haemoglobin, white blood cell count and serum albumin were attributed to haemodilution. These findings were thought to be due to decreased iron stores leading neither to anaemia nor to diminished transferrin saturation.

Effects on school children of prophylaxis of mothers with iodized oil in an area of iodine deficiency.

The results of tests of intellectual and psychomotor performance and school performance in a group of school children from a rural impoverished and iodine deficient Andean community whose mothers received injections of iodinated oil prior to the end of the first trimester of pregnancy have been compared with results in children from a neighboring comparable community whose mothers had received no iodinated oil. Subjects between ages 8 and 15 were studied. Statistically significant differences were not observed between the two groups in tests of intellectual function, but children of mothers who had received iodinated oil performed better on tests of psychomotor maturation. The group whose mothers had received oil performed distinctly better when assessed in terms of school drop-out rates, grades achieved, grades repeated, and in overall performance as judged by teacher notes in school records. Performance of both groups on standard tests of intellectual and psychomotor function was lower than standard scores. This may be a result of social and cultural deprivation, the general malnutrition prevailing in the region or other unidentified factors. The improved scoring and school performance exhibited by the children of mothers who received iodinated oil underlines the importance of prophylaxis with iodine in iodine deficient regions as one important contributor to community development.

[Spontaneous regression of an aneurysmal bone cyst of the vertebrae after partial excision. Bibliographic review]. / Regresión espontánea de un quiste óseo aneurismático de localización vertebral tras su extirpación parcial. Revisión bibliográfica.

A case of a lumbar aneurysmal bone cyst is presented in a 5 year-9 month old girl. The characteristics of this tumor are described, specifically in the spinal area, with particular reference to the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties referred, taking into account the existing bibliography. The partial resection has been curative, as it has been frequently written about in publication worldwide and which suggest that surgery does not have to be aggressive in unapproachable cases and that radiotherapy is unnecessary.

Polydispersity and chain break effects on DNA intramolecular renaturation.

The influences of sample polydispersity and of internal chain breaks are introduced in the formal description of intramolecular renaturation phenomenology, enhancing the usefulness of the involved methodology. In our method, renaturation is induced not by cooling but by increasing the sodium concentration. The single-stranded size distributions for the two types of samples employed (haplotomic and diplotomically degraded) are discussed. In the case of haplotomic cleavage, the variable is the strand size in the 'segment' between consecutive nicks in either of the native DNA strands. Our equations have been obtained by considering that the arrangement of DNA sequences may be approximately taken as random. These equations provide a good description of experimental data and a reasonable value (about 1000 base-pairs) for the size of the thermalite sequence, but show low sensitivity to departures from the random arrangement of sequences.