Aids for color vision deficiency: introduction to the feature issue.

Approximately 8% of Caucasian males and 0.5% of females have congenital red-green color vision deficiencies (CVD), and a number of eye diseases are accompanied by acquired CVD. This feature issue includes ten contributions regarding existing and proposed algorithms and devices intended to help CVD subjects compensate for their color deficiencies. It also addresses limitations in the effectiveness of CVD aids for subjects with different types and degrees of color vision deficiency.

CVD-MET: an image difference metric designed for analysis of color vision deficiency aids.

Color vision deficiency (CVD) has gained in relevance in the last decade, with a surge of proposals for aid systems that aim to improve the color discrimination capabilities of CVD subjects. This paper focuses on the proposal of a new metric called CVD-MET, that can evaluate the efficiency and naturalness of these systems through a set of images using a simulation of the subject's vision. In the simulation, the effect of chromatic adaptation is introduced via CIECAM02, which is relevant for the evaluation of passive aids (color filters). To demonstrate the potential of the CVD-MET, an evaluation of a representative set of passive and active aids is carried out both with conventional image quality metrics and with CVD-MET. The results suggest that the active aids (recoloration algorithms) are in general more efficient and produce more natural images, although the changes that are introduced do not shift the CVD's perception of the scene towards the normal observer's perception.

Impact of Zulla cover crop in vineyard on the musts volatile profile of Vitis vinifera L. cv Syrah.

Grape aromatic characteristics are very important for producing quality wines. There have been very few studies on concentrations of volatile compounds in grape berries from vines with cover crops. For this reason, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of "Zulla" cover crop on the volatile profiles of organically grown Syrah variety grapes. For this purpose, volatile profiles of grapes obtained from vines with three different amounts of cover crop (one line, two lines, and four lines) and without cover crop, over three harvests (2019, 2020, and 2021) were determined. Moreover, a comparative study of conventional and organic crops, both submitted to soil tillage, was performed. The grape samples came from a warm climate zone. Must volatile compounds were determined by sequential sorptive extraction with Twisters by immersion (SBSE) and headspace (HSSE), followed by GC-MS analysis. A total of 160 compounds were determined and most of them were influenced by the presence of cover crop. However, the results showed an important influence of the harvest year over agronomic practices. Therefore, organic cultivation using Zulla cover crop seems to be a suitable tool for the implementation of friendly ecosystem management in a warm climate Syrah vineyard.

Isotopic labelling-based analysis elucidates biosynthesis pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Melatonin, Serotonin and Hydroxytyrosol formation.

Yeasts can synthetise bioactive compounds such as Melatonin (MEL), Serotonin (SER) and Hydroxytyrosol (HT). Deciphering the mechanisms involved in their formation can lead to exploit this fact to increase the bioactive potential of fermented beverages. Quantitative analysis using labelled compounds, 15-N2 l-tryptophan and 13-C tyrosine, allowed tracking the formation of the above-mentioned bioactive compounds during the alcoholic fermentation of synthetic must by two different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Labelled and unlabelled MEL, SER and HT were undoubtedly identified and quantified by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS). Our results prove that there are at least two pathways involved in MEL biosynthesis by yeast. One starts with tryptophan as precursor being known for the vertebrates' pathway. Additionally, MEL is produced from SER which in turn is consistent with the plants' biosynthesis pathway. Concerning HT, it can be formed both from labelled tyrosine and from intermediates of the Erlich pathway.

[Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial corpus callosum lesion (MERS)]. / Encefalitis/encefalopatía leve con lesión reversible del esplenio del cuerpo calloso (MERS).

INTRODUCTION: Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible isolated splenial corpus callosum lesion (MERS) is a clinical-radiological syndrome characterized by a lesion in the center of the splenium identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the imaging test of choice. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old man is admitted with fever, intense hemicranial headache, disorientation, dysarthria and paresthesia in the lips and both upper extremities is presented; and that he is admitted for a suspected diagnosis of viral encephalitis. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis shows an elevation of proteins and the electroencephalogram shows generalized slowing, predominantly on the left. MRI shows a well-defined ovoid lesion, isolated in the splenium of the corpus callosum, homogeneous and hyperintense on T2 and FLAIR, with restriction to fluid diffusion and without uptake after gadolinium administration. The patient received empirical treatment with acyclovir and corticosteroids, with good subsequent evolution and disappearance of the lesion described in the control MRI at 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: MERS is a benign, infrequent entity of unknown pathogenesis, which must be differentiated from other pathologies that present with lesions of the corpus callosum, but with an unfavorable prognosis.

TITLE: Encefalitis/encefalopatía leve con lesión reversible del esplenio del cuerpo calloso (MERS).Introducción. La encefalitis/encefalopatía leve con lesión reversible aislada del esplenio del cuerpo calloso (MERS) es un síndrome clinicorradiológico caracterizado por una lesión en el centro del esplenio identificada por resonancia magnética, prueba de imagen de elección. Caso clínico. Se presenta el caso de un varón de 31 años con cuadro de fiebre, cefalea intensa hemicraneal, desorientación, disartria y parestesias en los labios y en ambas extremidades superiores, y que ingresa por sospecha diagnóstica de encefalitis vírica. El análisis del líquido cefalorraquídeo muestra una elevación de proteínas y el electroencefalograma manifiesta una lentificación generalizada de predominio izquierdo. La resonancia magnética evidencia una lesión ovoidea, bien delimitada, aislada en el esplenio del cuerpo calloso, homogénea e hiperintensa en T2 y FLAIR, con restricción a la difusión hídrica y sin captación tras la administración de gadolinio. El paciente recibe tratamiento de forma empírica con aciclovir y corticoesteroides, con buena evolución posterior y desaparición de la lesión descrita en la resonancia magnética de control a las tres semanas. Conclusión. La MERS es una entidad benigna, infrecuente y de patogenia desconocida, que debe diferenciarse de otras patologías que cursan con lesiones del cuerpo calloso en las que el pronóstico es desfavorable.

Volatile metabolites produced by different flor yeast strains during wine biological ageing.

Sherry white wine called Fino is produced by dynamic biological ageing under the action of flor yeasts using traditional practices aimed at ensuring uniform quality and characteristics over time. These kinds of yeasts provide typical sensory properties to Fino wines. Although there are studies of the volatile composition of these wines submitted to biological ageing in wood barrels, there is a lack of knowledge on the particular volatile profile produced by different flor yeast strains from Sherry zone wineries. For this reason, the aim of this study was to analyse the volatile profiles produced by 15 pure culture flor velum yeasts, with the goal of observing their suitability for obtaining high quality Fino sherry wines. Volatile composition was determined by dual sequential stir bar sorptive extraction, followed by GC-MS analysis. All yeast strains studied produced the increase of most acetals, highlighting acetaldehyde diethylacetal which was the compound that most increased. Among terpenes, nerolidol and farnesol underwent remarkable increases. However, results showed that in a month of biological ageing, significant differences were observed among the volatile metabolites produced by flor yeast strains studied. Only some of them stood out for their high production of volatile compounds characteristic of Sherry Fino wines, which are good candidates for producing starter cultures.

The impact of active dry yeasts in commercial wineries from the Denomination of Origen "Vinos de Madrid", Spain.

This paper has studied the success of implantation for 16 commercial active dry yeasts (ADYs) during industrial fermentation (30) and the impact of these yeasts during spontaneous fermentations (19) in 10 wineries from the Denomination of Origin "Vinos de Madrid" over two consecutive years. Yeasts strains were identified by molecular techniques, pulsed field electrophoresis and microsatellite analysis. According to these techniques, all the ADYs were different with the exceptions of two strains, L2056 and Rh, which showed the same karyotype and loci size. The results showed that inoculating fermentations with ADYs did not ensure their dominance throughout the fermentation; the implantation level of ADYs was above 80% in only 9 of the 30 commercial fermentations studied; while in 16 fermentations, the dominance of the inoculated ADYs was below 50%. The type of vinification with the best implantation results overall were those associated with red wine fermentations. ADYs affected spontaneous fermentations, although their impact was observed to decrease in the second year of the study. Therefore, specific adaptation studies are necessary before using commercial yeasts during the fermentation process. At the same time, a study was carried out on the frequency of commercial strains in IMIDRA's yeast collection, made up of strains isolated from spontaneous fermentations of the different areas and cellars since the beginning of the Denomination of Origin "Vinos de Madrid" in 1990. Six different ADYs were found with a frequency of less than 5%.

Efficiency of three intracellular extraction methods in the determination of metabolites related to tryptophan and tyrosine in winemaking yeast's metabolism by LC-HRMS.

Yeast nitrogen metabolism produces metabolites, whose origin in wines has scarcely been studied, with an important biological and organoleptic role. The present work focuses on comparing three intracellular extraction methods in order to elucidate efficiency of extraction while measuring the effect of temperature upon the integrity of the compounds related to the metabolism of tryptophan and tyrosine by yeast. Two UHPLC/HRMS methods to measure 16 metabolites were developed and validated. The validation provided optimum values of LOD (7.4·10-6 to 0.1 µg L-1), of LOQ (2·10-5 to 0.02 µg L-1) of precision (11-0.5% RSD) and repeatability (12-0.5% RSD). The removal of interfering molecules enabled matrix effects to be kept at low levels. The results pointed out that the low-temperature methods were more effective, providing better precision for 16 metabolites. The high-temperature extraction method may yield false enhanced compounds concentrations since they originate in cell wall macromolecules degradation.

Do EnChroma glasses improve color vision for colorblind subjects?

The commercialization of EnChroma glasses has generated great expectations for people to be able to see new colors or even correct color vision deficiency (CVD). We evaluate the effectiveness of these glasses using two complementary strategies for the first time. The first consists of using the three classical types of tests - recognition, arrangement and discrimination - with and without glasses, with a high number of individuals. In the second, we use the spectral transmittance of the glasses to simulate the appearance of stimuli in a set of scenes for normal observers and observers with CVD. The results show that the glasses introduce a variation of the perceived color, but neither improve results in the diagnosis tests nor allow the observers with CVD to have a more normal color vision.

The involvement of CRF1 receptor within the basolateral amygdala and dentate gyrus in the naloxone-induced conditioned place aversion in morphine-dependent mice.

Drug withdrawal-associated aversive memories trigger relapse to drug-seeking behavior. Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) is an important mediator of the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse. However, the involvement of CRF1 receptor (CRF1R) in aversive memory induced by opiate withdrawal has yet to be elucidated. We used the conditioned-place aversion (CPA) paradigm to evaluate the role of CRF1R on opiate withdrawal memory acquisition, along with plasticity-related processes that occur after CPA within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and dentate gyrus (DG). Male mice were rendered dependent on morphine and injected acutely with naloxone before paired to confinement in a naloxone-associated compartment. The CPA scores as well as the number of TH-positive neurons (in the NTS-A2 noradrenergic cell group), and the expression of the transcription factors Arc and pCREB (in the BLA and DG) were measured with and without CRF1R blockade. Mice subjected to conditioned naloxone-induced morphine withdrawal robustly expressed CPA. Pre-treatment with the selective CRF1R antagonist CP-154,526 before naloxone conditioning session impaired morphine withdrawal-induced aversive memory acquisition. CP-154,526 also antagonized the enhanced number of TH-positive neurons in the NTS-A2 that was seen after CPA. Increased Arc expression and Arc-pCREB co-localization were seen in the BLA after CPA, which was not modified by CP-154,526. In the DG, CPA was accompanied by a decrease of Arc expression and no changes in Arc-pCREB co-localization, whereas pre-treatment with CP-154,526 induced an increase in both parameters. These results indicate that CRF-CRF1R pathway could be a critical factor governing opiate withdrawal memory storage and retrieval and might suggest a role for TH-NA pathway in the effects of withdrawal on memory. Our results might indicate that the blockade of CRF1R could represent a promising pharmacological treatment strategy approach for the attenuation of the relapse to drug-seeking/taking behavior triggered by opiate withdrawal-associated aversive memories.

High-sensitivity troponin T and the risk of recurrent readmissions after hospitalisation for acute heart failure. / Troponina T de alta sensibilidad y riesgo de hospitalizaciones recurrentes tras un ingreso por insuficiencia cardíaca aguda.

OBJECTIVES: High-sensitivity troponin is a biomarker of myocardial damage and is associated with a greater risk of mortality and disease progression in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). However, its relationship with the risk of future readmissions is less known. The aim of this study was to assess the association between ultrasensitive troponin T (TnT-us) values in patients with AHF and the risk of recurrent readmissions in the follow-up. METHODS: We prospectively included a cohort of 621 consecutive patients with AHF, excluding those patients with acute coronary syndrome. We measured the TnT-us levels obtained during the first medical contact in the emergency department. The risk of cumulative readmissions was assessed using negative binomial regression. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 73.6±10.8 years, 54.6% were men, and 52% had a left ventricular systolic function ≥50%. The median TnT-us level was 35.5pg/ml (interquartile range [IQR], 22-67). After a median follow-up of 1.2 years (IQR, 0.4-2.4), a total of 153 deaths (24.6%) were recorded, as well as 689 readmissions for all causes in 303 patients (48.8%) and 286 readmissions for HF in 163 patients (26.3%). In the multivariate analysis, the high TnT-us values were associated with an increased risk of readmission, both for all causes and for HF (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.36; p=.029 and IRR, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.46; p=.018, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with AHF, the increase in TnT-us levels was independently associated with a risk of recurrent readmissions during the follow-up.

Melatonin and derived l-tryptophan metabolites produced during alcoholic fermentation by different wine yeast strains.

Melatonin is a neurohormone involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms in humans. Evidence has recently been found of its occurrence in wines and its role in the winemaking process. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is consequently thought to be important in Melatonin synthesis, but limited data and reference texts are available on this synthetic pathway. This paper aims to elucidate whether the synthetic pathway of Melatonin in Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces strains involves these intermediates. To this end, seven commercial strains comprising Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Red Fruit, ES488, Lalvin QA23, Uvaferm BC, and Lalvin ICV GRE) and non-Saccharomyces (Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima) were monitored, under controlled fermentation conditions, in synthetic must, for seven days. Samples were analysed using a UHPLC-HRMS system (Qexactive). Five out of the seven strains formed Melatonin during the fermentation process: three S. cerevisiae strains and the two non-Saccharomyces. Additionally, other compounds derived from l-tryptophan occurred during fermentation.

Bariatric surgery improves female pelvic floor disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity aggravates pelvic floor disorders in women. Weight loss improves these disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the evolution of pelvic floor disorders in women who have undergone bariatric surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective single-center study was conducted from December 2012 to February 2014. The parameters studied were diabetes, BMI, excess weight loss, multiparity, mode of delivery and their relation to obesity and pelvic floor disorders. We evaluated anorectal and urethral sphincter disorders using the PFDI-20 questionnaire preoperatively, at 1 month and then every 6 months thereafter. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen patients underwent bariatric surgery. Seventy questionnaires were completed preoperatively and postoperatively. Weight loss was significant with an excess weight loss of 57.1%. The mean body mass index (BMI) decreased from 44.5 ± 6.31 kg/m(2) (range: 35.0-63.23) to 31.83 ± 5.83 kg/m(2) (range: 20.9-49.6). The average length of follow-up was 11.3 ± 5.2 months (range: 5-25). The incidence of urinary symptoms improved after surgery (P=0.003), as did the UDI-6 score (Urogenital distress inventory) (P=0.009). There was no improvement in other symptoms such as prolapse and colorectal-anal dysfunction. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders is high among obese women; in this study, colorectal disorders were present in 53% and urinary disorders in 71.5%. Bariatric surgery-induced weight loss led to improvement in urinary continence disorders when assessed over an average follow-up of 11 months.

[Gonococcal conjunctivitis in a young woman]. / Conjonctivite à gonocoque chez une jeune adulte.

We describe the management of a female patient who developed an uncomplicated unilateral purulent conjunctivitis with no other clinical signs. The typical clinical presentation and Gram stain of the discharge suggested gonococcal conjunctivitis, allowing treatment to be initiated. Indeed, a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistant to penicillin and tetracycline was isolated. In collaboration with the patient's primary care physician, management included lavage of the infected eye, systemic antibiotic treatment with erythromycin and topical antibiotic treatment with azithromycin, followed by local steroid treatment in response to persistent hyperemia, which was discontinued and replaced by azithromycin again because of recurrent discharge. Eleven days after the first consultation, a complete cure was achieved without sequelae, and a final check to rule out a residual gonococcal carrier state is planned. Gonococcal conjunctivitis, a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency, is a potentially blinding sexually transmitted disease with which general practitioners and ophthalmologists are not well aquainted. Although rare in developed countries, its incidence is rising in parallel with the global recrudescence of gonococcal infections. This case of gonococcal conjunctivitis is discussed as a review of the clinical and biological elements necessary for diagnosis and therapeutic management, which must occur as early as possible, taking into account rapidly increasing gonococcal resistance to antimicrobial therapies, so as to interrupt spread of the disease.

[Epidemics of schistosomiasis in military staff assigned to endemic areas: standard diagnostic techniques and the development of real-time PCR techniques]. / Épidémies de bilharziose chez des militaires projetés en zone d'endémie, techniques de diagnostic classique et mise au point de techniques de réaction en chaîne de la polymérase (PCR) en temps réel.

The authors report the results of molecular biology techniques for the early diagnosis of cases (invasion phase) of schistosomiasis during two epidemics occurring during French military projects in the Central African Republic and Madagascar. The use of these techniques in real time for subjects not residing in the endemic area significantly improves the sensitivity of screening. The attack rates of these episodes, according to a case definition that took positive specific PCR results into account, were 59% and 26%. These results are a concrete illustration of the proverb that "yaws begin where the trail stops".

Electrochemical detection of extracellular hydrogen peroxide in Arabidopsis thaliana: a real-time marker of oxidative stress.

An electrochemical approach to directly measure the dynamic process of H2 O2 release from cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana cells is reported. This approach is based on H2 O2 oxidation on a Pt electrode in conjunction with continuous measurement of sample pH. For [H2 O2 ] <1 mm, calibration plots were linear and the amperometric response of the electrode was maximum at pH 6. At higher concentrations ([H2 O2 ] >1 mm), the amperometric response can be described by Michaelian-type kinetics and a mathematical expression relating current intensity and pH was obtained to quantitatively determine H2 O2 concentration. At pH 5.5, the detection limit of the sensor was 3.1 µm (S/N = 3), with a response sensitivity of 0.16 Am(-1 ) cm(-2) and reproducibility was within 6.1% in the range 1-5 × 10(-3 ) m (n = 5). Cell suspensions under normal physiological conditions had a pH between 5.5-5.7 and H2 O2 concentrations in the range 7.0-20.5 µm (n = 5). The addition of exogenous H2 O2 , as well as other potential stress stimuli, was made to the cells and the change in H2 O2 concentration was monitored. This real-time quantitative H2 O2 analysis is a potential marker for the evaluation of oxidative stress in plant cell cultures.