Evaluation of functional status among patients undergoing maintenance treatments for opioid use disorders.

BACKGROUND: Methadone and buprenorphine are the most prevalent types of opioid maintenance programs in Andalusia. The main objective is comparing the functional status of patients with pharmacological opioid maintenance treatments according to different socio-demographic characteristic, health and disabilities domains and sexual difficulties. METHODS: A total of 593 patients from the Andalusia community, 329 were undergoing methadone treatment and 264 were undergoing buprenorphine treatment. The patients were interviewed by socio-demographic and opioid-related variables, assessed by functioning, disability and health domains (WHODAS 2.0.) and for sexual problems (PRSexDQ-SALSEX). RESULTS: We found significant differences in the socio-demographic and the opioid-related variables as the onset of opioid use, being on previous maintenance programs, opioid intravenous use, the length of previous maintenance programs, polydrug use and elevated seroprevalence rates (HCV and HIV) between the methadone group and the buprenorphine group. Regarding health and disability domains there were differences in the Understanding and communication domain, Getting around domain, Participation in society domain and in the WHODAS 2.0. simple and complex score, favoring buprenorphine-treated patients. The methadone group referred elevated sexual impairments compared with the buprenorphine group. Opioid-related variables as seroprevalence rates, other previous lifetime maintenance program, the daily opioid dosage and the daily alcohol use are the most discriminative variables between both groups. Participation in society variables and sexual problems were the most important clinical variables in distinguishing the methadone group from the buprenorphine group regarding their functional status. CONCLUSIONS: The methadone group showed higher prevalence in opioid dependence-related variables, elevated disabilities in participation in society activities and sexual problems compared with the buprenorphine group. This study shows the importance of carry out a functional evaluation in the healthcare follow-up, especially in those areas related with social activity and with sexual problems.

Identification, introgression, and validation of fruit volatile QTLs from a red-fruited wild tomato species.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major determinants of fruit flavor, a primary objective in tomato breeding. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 169 lines derived from a cross between Solanum lycopersicum and a red-fruited wild tomato species Solanum pimpinellifolium accession (SP) was characterized for VOCs in three different seasons. Correlation and hierarchical cluster analyses were performed on the 52 VOCs identified, providing a tool for the putative assignation of individual compounds to metabolic pathways. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, based on a genetic linkage map comprising 297 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), revealed 102 QTLs (75% not described previously) corresponding to 39 different VOCs. The SP alleles exerted a positive effect on most of the underlying apocarotenoid volatile QTLs-regarded as desirable for liking tomato-indicating that alleles inherited from SP are a valuable resource for flavor breeding. An introgression line (IL) population developed from the same parental genotypes provided 12 ILs carrying a single SP introgression and covering 85 VOC QTLs, which were characterized at three locations. The results showed that almost half of the QTLs previously identified in the RILs maintained their effect in an IL form, reinforcing the value of these QTLs for flavor/aroma breeding in cultivated tomato.

Plasma profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in cocaine users under outpatient treatment: influence of cocaine symptom severity and psychiatric co-morbidity.

The treatment for cocaine use constitutes a clinical challenge because of the lack of appropriate therapies and the high rate of relapse. Recent evidence indicates that the immune system might be involved in the pathogenesis of cocaine addiction and its co-morbid psychiatric disorders. This work examined the plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine profile in abstinent cocaine users (n = 82) who sought outpatient cocaine treatment and age/sex/body mass-matched controls (n = 65). Participants were assessed with the diagnostic interview Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Diseases according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2/monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12)/stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) were decreased in cocaine users, although all cytokines were identified as predictors of a lifetime pathological use of cocaine. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1)/fractalkine and CXCL12/SDF-1 positively correlated with the cocaine symptom severity when using the DSM-IV-TR criteria for cocaine abuse/dependence. These cytokines allowed the categorization of the outpatients into subgroups according to severity, identifying a subgroup of severe cocaine users (9-11 criteria) with increased prevalence of co-morbid psychiatric disorders [mood (54%), anxiety (32%), psychotic (30%) and personality (60%) disorders]. IL-1ß was observed to be increased in users with such psychiatric disorders relative to those users with no diagnosis. In addition to these clinical data, studies in mice demonstrated that plasma IL-1ß, CX3CL1 and CXCL12 were also affected after acute and chronic cocaine administration, providing a preclinical model for further research. In conclusion, cocaine exposure modifies the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. Plasma cytokine/chemokine monitoring could improve the stratification of cocaine consumers seeking treatment and thus facilitate the application of appropriate interventions, including management of heightened risk of psychiatric co-morbidity. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of the immune system in the etiology of cocaine addiction.

Plasma concentrations of lysophosphatidic acid and the expression of its receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells are altered in patients with cocaine use disorders.

We have recently reported alterations in the plasma concentrations of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in patients with substance use disorders. In order to further explore the potential role of the LPA signaling system as biomarker in cocaine use disorders (CUD) we conducted a cross-sectional study with 105 patients diagnosed with CUD and 92 healthy controls. Participants were clinically evaluated and blood samples were collected to determine plasma concentrations of total LPA and LPA species (16:0-, 18:0-, 18:1-, 18:2-, and 20:4-LPA), and the gene expression of LPA1 and LPA2 receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We found that patients with CUD had significantly lower plasma concentration of the majority of LPA species, while the mRNA expression of LPA1 receptor was found to be higher than controls. Moreover, we found a positive association between plasma concentration of 20:4-LPA and relevant CUD-related variables: age of onset cocaine use and length of cocaine abstinence. The statistical analysis revealed sex differences in concentrations of total LPA and LPA species, and women showed higher LPA concentrations than men. Furthermore, studies in rats of both sexes showed that plasma concentrations of total LPA were also altered after acute and chronic cocaine administration, revealing a sexual dimorphism in these effects. This study found alterations on the LPA signaling system in both, patients with CUD and rats treated with cocaine. Our results demonstrate that LPA signaling is impacted by CUD and sex, which must be taken into consideration in future studies evaluating LPA as a reliable biomarker for CUD.

Quality assessment of tomato landraces and virus-resistant breeding lines: quick estimation by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Several tomato landraces are very popular in south-eastern Spain for their organoleptic fruit quality, but these cultivars are highly susceptible to several viruses. A breeding programme is being carried out for the introduction of virus resistances into these landraces. In the last steps of our breeding programme a high number of breeding lines must be evaluated for agronomic and organoleptic quality parameters. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) technology shows considerable promise and is ideally suited to the requirements of breeders. RESULTS: Significant differences between a set of 35 tomato breeding lines, seven landraces and one commercial hybrid were observed for quality and mineral content parameters, suggesting that there are considerable levels of genetic diversity between the cultivar groups studied. Using NIRS on dry samples of tomato constitutes a feasible technique to estimate the content of several minerals (C, N, P, K, Ca, Na, Mn, Mg and Cu) according to the coefficient of determination for calibration (R(2) > 0.90). NIRS estimations of soluble solids content and titratable acidity obtained were considered useful only for general screening purposes. CONCLUSIONS: NIRS technology may be a useful tool in the selection of lines coming out of tomato breeding programs, allowing a quick estimation of mineral content. However, the estimation of soluble solids content and titratable acidity by NIRS must be improved.

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of new heterocyclic hybrids based on chloroquine and thiazolidinone scaffolds.

A series of new 21 chloroquine heterocyclic hybrids containing either benzylamino fragment or N-(aminoalkyl)thiazolidin-4-one moiety were synthesized and screened for their antimalarial activity against chloroquine (CQ)-sensitive 3D7 and multidrug-resistance Dd2 strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Although no compounds more active than CQ against 3D7 was found; against Dd2 strain, six compounds, four of them with benzylamino fragment, showed an excellent activity, up to 3-fold more active than CQ. Non specific cytotoxicity on J774 macrophages was observed in some compounds whereas only two of them showed liver toxicity on HepG2 cells. In addition, all active compounds inhibited the ferriprotoporphyrin IX biocrystalization process in concentrations around to CQ. In vivo preliminary results have shown that at least two compounds are as active as CQ against Plasmodium berghei ANKA.

[Epidemiological analysis of catheter-related bloodstream infections in medical-surgical intensive care units]. / Análisis epidemiológico de bacteriemias asociadas a catéter en una terapia intensiva médico-quirúrgica.

A retrospective-observational analytical study was carried out to evaluate the epidemiology of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in 773 adult patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 1 December 2018 and 30 June 2020. During the study period, the incidence of CRBSI was 8.7 cases per 1000 catheter days. The occurrence of CRBSI was found associated with a poor clinical evolution, as evidenced by a stay in the ICU significantly longer than the stay of patients without CRBSI (median: 21.5 days vs. 4 days, p < 0.001). CRBSI-associated mortality was not statistically higher (24% vs. 20%, OR 1.26 [0.61-2.63]). Gram-positive bacteria were the most frequently identified microorganisms (73%), being Staphylococcus epidermidis the most frequent (40%). Of the 47 isolates of microorganisms surveyed, 8 (17%) were multi-resistant germs. The permanence time of the catheter was identified as a risk factor for developing CRBSI (OR 1.10 [1.05 - 1.15], p < 0.001) in a multivariate analysis. In this analysis, the risk of infection was not influenced by the anatomical site of insertion of the catheter, the ward where the procedure was performed (ICU vs. operating room/external ward), the skill of the medical practitioner, or the use of ultrasound to guide vascular accesses. We conclude that CRBSIs are a frequent complication in our department with relevant clinical consequences. Knowing the epidemiology and the problems of each service allows programming interventions aimed to correct specific public health problems.

Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo analítico que evaluó la epidemiología de las bacteriemias asociadas a catéter central (BAC) en 773 adultos internados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) del Hospital Alemán de Buenos Aires entre diciembre de 2018 y junio de 2020. Durante el periodo de estudio, la incidencia fue 8.7 eventos cada 1000 días catéter. El desarrollo de BAC se asoció con mala evolución clínica, que fue puesta en evidencia por una duración de la internación en UCI significativamente mayor que la de los pacientes sin BAC (mediana: 21.5 días vs. 4 días, p < 0.001). La mortalidad también fue mayor, pero sin significancia estadística (24% vs. 20%, OR 1.26 [0.61-2.63]). Los microorganismos más frecuentemente aislados fueron bacterias Gram positivas (73%) y, entre ellas, Staphylococcus epidermidis fue la más frecuente (40%). De los 47 aislamientos de microorganismos relevados, 8 (17%) fueron gérmenes multirresistentes. El análisis multivariado identificó el tiempo de permanencia del catéter como factor de riesgo para desarrollar BAC (OR 1.10 [1.05 - 1.15], p < 0.001). En dicho análisis, una mayo r tasa de BAC no fue influida por el sitio anatómico de inserción del catéter, el servicio donde se realizó el procedimiento (UCI o quirófano/servicio de emergencias), la experiencia previa del médico en el procedimiento, ni el uso de ultrasonido para guiar la cateterización. Concluimos que las BAC son una complicación frecuente en nuestro servicio con consecuencias clínicas relevantes. Conocer la epidemiología y la problemática de cada servicio permite programar intervenciones dirigidas a corregir problemas concretos de salud pública.

Snapping biceps femoris tendon: a dynamic real-time sonographic evaluation.

Snapping of the distal arms of the biceps femoris tendon may explain pain and discomfort at the lateral aspect of the knee. We report two cases in which dynamic sonography was able to confirm the diagnosis and document which of the main arms was involved in the process.

Comparative post-harvest behaviour of traditional and virus-resistant Muchamiel tomatoes.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, organoleptic quality is the primary objective for almost all tomato breeding programmes. In this study, post-harvest behaviour of a breeding line with genetic resistance to important viruses (tomato mosaic virus, tomato spotted wilt virus and tomato yellow leaf curl virus) has been compared with the original traditional landrace (Muchamiel). The breeding line has been obtained by backcrossing, introgressing three resistance genes but aiming to keep the quality characteristics of the traditional variety. Tomatoes were picked at random and stored at 10 degrees C for 13 days. Quality analyses were made in both tomato samples: weight loss, colour, respiration rate, ethylene production, maturity index, instrumental hardness and sensory evaluation with trained panel. RESULTS: Fruits of the breeding line were characterized by higher hardness even with a higher maturity index. Results of sensory tests were in agreement with instrumental measurements. Organoleptic quality of Muchamiel virus-resistant tomatoes was at least as high as that of traditional tomatoes, reaching the best scores in odour and aroma at the 13th storage day. CONCLUSION: Although a long time has been required to develop the breeding line, results indicate that organoleptic fruit quality has been recovered through backcrossing, confirming the success of the breeding programme.

Metabolomic analysis of the effects of a commercial complex biostimulant on pepper crops.

Research on plant biostimulants is of interest in their potential benefits for agriculture production and environmental sustainability. These naturally occurring products induce beneficial consequences in plant metabolism and productivity. In most cases their modes of action, and consequences for the whole plant as well as parts, such as the fruit, are well characterized, but the precise mechanisms of action require further attention. This study examined the effects of the commercial biostimulant, Actium®, on Capsicum annuum L. cv Palermo leaves and fruits. The influence of time (characterized by ripening), after 14 and 28 days of treatment, treatment regimen, and their combined impact on the metabolome were studied using HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of polar and apolar compounds. The results showed that flavonoids and capsianosides decreased with ripening in leaves, but organic acids, monosaccharides, and carotenoids increased in fruits. The treatment of Capsicum fruits with Actium® increased phenylalanine and total monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) compared to controls, suggesting a further stage in ripening. An increase in carotenoids concomitant with an increase of some digalactosyl diacylglycerols, which are part of the chromoplasts lipid machinery of enzymes involved in the synthesis of carotenoids, was also observed. Our findings suggest that this biostimulant may increase some metabolites related to pepper fruit maturity and coloration in pepper crops.

New 1-aryl-3-substituted propanol derivatives as antimalarial agents.

This paper describes the synthesis and in vitro antimalarial activity against a P. falciparum 3D7 strain of some new 1-aryl-3-substituted propanol derivatives. Twelve of the tested compounds showed an IC(50) lower than 1 microM. These compounds were also tested for cytotoxicity in murine J774 macrophages. The most active compounds were evaluated for in vivo activity against P. berghei in a 4-day suppressive test. Compound 12 inhibited more than 50% of parasite growth at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day. In addition, an FBIT test was performed to measure the ability to inhibit ferriprotoporphyrin biocrystallization. This data indicates that 1-aryl-3-substituted propanol derivatives hold promise as a new therapeutic option for the treatment of malaria.

[Robotic radical prostatectomy: first 100 patients in Fundació Puigvert]. / Prostatectomía radical robótica: análisis después de 100 casos en la Fundació Puigvert.

OBJECTIVE: We present the 100 first robotic radical prostatectomy with Da Vinci (RRPdaV), corresponding to the first experience in Spain. METHODS: We reviewed the first 100 patients that underwent transperitoneal RRPda performed in Fundació Puigvert between July 2005 and January 2007. All cases were performed by 5 surgeons, being the learning curve for all of them. We analyzed surgical time, blood loss, conversion rate, intra and postoperative complications, hospital stay and days of bladder catheterization. Also, rates and location of surgical margins, as well as functional outcomes with an average follow up of 10.3 months. RESULTS: Mean operating time was 180 minutes (100-310) and blood loss 210 mL (100-390). Blood transfusion was required in 2 cases. There were no intraoperative complications and neither any conversion to open surgery. There were 3 outstanding postoperative events, a compartmentalize syndrome, an acute urinary retention after removal of urethral catheter, and a paresthesias due to brachial plexus compression. Mean hospital stay were 3.7 days. (2-21). We had 21 cases of positive surgical margins (21%). The most frequent location was posterior lateral. 69 of 100 patients (69%) reached early (<3 months) total continence, 91% achieved in 9 months, and remaining 9% required use of at least one pad. Concerning to sexual function, 13 of 100 patients (13%) had preoperative erectile dysfunction, of remaining cases, 62% preserved potency at review, and 38% had postoperative erectile dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: RRPDAv is a safe and reproducible procedure, and offers promising oncological and functional results with a minimal invasive technique. In spite of include the learning curve of 5 surgeons; we obtain an excellent rate of continence, and an acceptable sexual function. The individual improvement, with more experience, and a longer follow-up, will allow to value evolution of the technique, and it results.

Surgical resection of liver metastasis in pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Once liver metastases in pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma are diagnosed, guidelines do not recommend resection of the primary tumor. In this stage of the disease, therapeutic regimes with chemotherapy are the standard treatment. However, it is unclear whether combinations of extensive surgery and novel chemotherapy treatments confer a survival benefit in selected patients. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We provide a systematic review about liver metastases in pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma treated by surgery utilizing EMBASE, Medline/PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus databases according to PRISMA guidelines. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: In pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma, the number of lesions that can be resected includes a mean or median of 1-3; the size of the lesions should not exceed 3 cm and the most frequent surgical technique used were wedge or atypical resections. Overall morbidity and mortality after liver resection from pancreatic tumors were 0-68% and 0-9.1%, respectively, and from periampullary carcinomas were 0-82% and 0-21%, respectively. Considering both types of carcinomas, the rate of recurrence was up to 91%. Median overall survival ranged from 5.5 to 16.6 months for liver metastases from pancreas carcinoma, and from 5 to 23 months for periampullary carcinoma, with better prognosis for duodenal carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment in patients with liver metastasis from pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma. Liver resection from early liver metastases could be acceptable in selected patients with oligometastatic disease and small single lesions taking into account the individual risk of complications.

Drug repositioning for novel antitrichomonas from known antiprotozoan drugs using hierarchical screening.

AIM: Metronidazole is the most widely used drug in trichomoniasis therapy. However, the emergence of metronidazole-resistant Trichomonas vaginalis isolates calls for the search for new drugs to counter the pathogenicity of these parasites. RESULTS: Classification models for predicting the antitrichomonas activity of molecules were built. These models were employed to screen antiprotozoal drugs, from which 20 were classified as active. The in vitro experiments showed moderate to high activity for 19 of the molecules at 10 µg/ml, while 3 compounds yielded higher activity than the reference at 1 µg/ml. The 11 most active chemicals were evaluated in vivo using Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice. CONCLUSION: Benznidazole showed similar results as metronidazole, and can thus be considered as a potential candidate in antitrichomonas therapy.

Non-stochastic quadratic fingerprints and LDA-based QSAR models in hit and lead generation through virtual screening: theoretical and experimental assessment of a promising method for the discovery of new antimalarial compounds.

In order to explore the ability of non-stochastic quadratic indices to encode chemical information in antimalarials, four quantitative models for the discrimination of compounds having this property were generated and statistically compared. Accuracies of 90.2% and 83.3% for the training and test sets, respectively, were observed for the best of all the models, which included non-stochastic quadratic fingerprints weighted with Pauling electronegativities. With a comparative purpose and as a second validation experiment, an exercise of virtual screening of 65 already-reported antimalarials was carried out. Finally, 17 new compounds were classified as either active/inactive ones and experimentally evaluated for their potential antimalarial properties on the ferriprotoporphyrin (FP) IX biocrystallization inhibition test (FBIT). The theoretical predictions were in agreement with the experimental results. In the assayed test compound C5 resulted more active than chloroquine. The current result illustrates the usefulness of the TOMOCOMD-CARDD strategy in rational antimalarial-drug design, at the time that it introduces a new family of organic compounds as starting point for the development of promising antimalarials.

Análisis epidemiológico de bacteriemias asociadas a catéter en una terapia intensiva médico-quirúrgica / Epidemiological analysis of catheter-related bloodstream infections in medical-surgical intensive care units

Resumen Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo analítico que evaluó la epidemiología de las bacteriemias asociadas a catéter central (BAC) en 773 adultos internados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) del Hospital Alemán de Buenos Aires entre diciembre de 2018 y junio de 2020. Durante el pe riodo de estudio, la incidencia fue 8.7 eventos cada 1000 días catéter. El desarrollo de BAC se asoció con mala evolución clínica, que fue puesta en evidencia por una duración de la internación en UCI significativamente mayor que la de los pacientes sin BAC (mediana: 21.5 días vs. 4 días, p < 0.001). La mortalidad también fue mayor, pero sin significancia estadística (24% vs. 20%, OR 1.26 [0.61-2.63]). Los microorganismos más frecuentemente aislados fueron bacterias Gram positivas (73%) y, entre ellas, Staphylococcus epidermidis fue la más frecuente (40%). De los 47 aislamientos de microorganismos relevados, 8 (17%) fueron gérmenes multirresistentes. El análisis multivariado identificó el tiempo de permanencia del catéter como factor de riesgo para desarrollar BAC (OR 1.10 [1.05 - 1.15], p < 0.001). En dicho análisis, una mayor tasa de BAC no fue influida por el sitio anatómico de inserción del catéter, el servicio donde se realizó el procedimiento (UCI o quirófano/servicio de emergencias), la experiencia previa del médico en el procedimiento, ni el uso de ultrasonido para guiar la cateterización. Con cluimos que las BAC son una complicación frecuente en nuestro servicio con consecuencias clínicas relevantes. Conocer la epidemiología y la problemática de cada servicio permite programar intervenciones dirigidas a corregir problemas concretos de salud pública.

Abstract A retrospective-observational analytical study was carried out to evaluate the epidemiology of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in 773 adult patients hospitalized in the inten sive care unit (ICU) of the Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 1 December 2018 and 30 June 2020. During the study period, the incidence of CRBSI was 8.7 cases per 1000 catheter days. The occurrence of CRBSI was found associated with a poor clinical evolution, as evidenced by a stay in the ICU significantly longer than the stay of patients without CRBSI (median: 21.5 days vs. 4 days, p < 0.001). CRBSI-associated mortality was not statistically higher (24% vs. 20%, OR 1.26 [0.61-2.63]). Gram-positive bacteria were the most frequently identified microorganisms (73%), being Staphylococcus epidermidis the most frequent (40%). Of the 47 isolates of microorganisms surveyed, 8 (17%) were multi-resistant germs. The permanence time of the catheter was identified as a risk factor for developing CRBSI (OR 1.10 [1.05 - 1.15], p < 0.001) in a multivariate analysis. In this analysis, the risk of infection was not influenced by the anatomical site of insertion of the catheter, the ward where the procedure was performed (ICU vs. operating room/external ward), the skill of the medical practitioner, or the use of ultrasound to guide vascular accesses. We conclude that CRBSIs are a frequent complication in our department with relevant clinical consequences. Knowing the epidemiology and the problems of each service allows programming interventions aimed to correct specific public health problems.

Exploring New Alleles Involved in Tomato Fruit Quality in an Introgression Line Library of Solanum pimpinellifolium.

We have studied a genomic library of introgression lines from the Solanum pimpinellifolium accession TO-937 into the genetic background of the "Moneymaker" cultivar in order to evaluate the accession's breeding potential. Overall, no deleterious phenotypes were observed, and the plants and fruits were phenotypically very similar to those of "Moneymaker," which confirms the feasibility of translating the current results into elite breeding programs. We identified chromosomal regions associated with traits that were both vegetative (plant vigor, trichome density) and fruit-related (morphology, organoleptic quality, color). A trichome-density locus was mapped on chromosome 10 that had not previously been associated with insect resistance, which indicates that the increment of trichomes by itself does not confer resistance. A large number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified for fruit weight. Interestingly, fruit weight QTLs on chromosomes 1 and 10 showed a magnitude effect similar to that of QTLs previously defined as important in domestication and diversification. Low variability was observed for fruit-shape-related traits. We were, however, able to identify a QTL for shoulder height, although the effects were quite low, thus demonstrating the suitability of the current population for QTL detection. Regarding organoleptic traits, consistent QTLs were detected for soluble solid content (SSC). Interestingly, QTLs on chromosomes 2 and 9 increased SSC but did not affect fruit weight, making them quite promising for introduction in modern cultivars. Three ILs with introgressions on chromosomes 1, 2, and 10 increased the internal fruit color, making them candidates for increasing the color of modern cultivars. Comparing the QTL detection between this IL population and a recombinant inbred line population from the same cross, we found that QTL stability across generations depended on the trait, as it was very high for fruit weight but low for organoleptic traits. This difference in QTL stability may be due to a predominant additive gene action for QTLs involved in fruit weight, whereas epistatic and genetic background interactions are most likely important for the other traits.

IgM nephropathy in children: clinicopathologic analysis.

INTRODUCTION: IgM nephropathy (IgMN) is a glomerulonephritis characterised by diffuse mesangial immunoglobulin M (IgM) deposits. It usually presents with nephrotic range proteinuria and, according to some previous work, it occurs most often in patients who are resistant to or dependent on steroid treatment. OBJECTIVE: To perform a clinical, histological and immunopathological description and assess the response to steroid treatment of paediatric patients diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome and diffuse mesangial IgM deposits. METHOD: This is a descriptive, retrospective study carried out in two hospitals, where the clinical records of paediatric patients with IgMN were analysed and the histological sections were re-assessed. RESULTS: thirteen children were included in this study. IgMN corresponded to 5.17% of all paediatric renal biopsies. The age of patients ranged from 1 year to 12 years (median: 2 years), 46.7% were women. The most common morphological finding was diffuse mesangial hypercellularity (46.1%), followed by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (30.8%) and minimal glomerular changes (23.1%). All patients received steroids; in 4 cases (30.7%) as the only immunosuppressant medication, 3 (23.1%) also received cyclophosphamide, 5 (38.4%) mycophenolate, and 1 (7.7%) cyclosporine. Seven patients (53.8%) had frequent relapses, 5 (38.5%) were cortico-resistant and 1 (7.7%) cortico-dependent. Two patients (15.38%) had chronic impairment of renal function. CONCLUSION: The presence of diffuse mesangial IgM in paediatric patients with nephrotic syndrome is not a very uncommon finding; its clinical presentation has been associated with lower response to steroids. However, the long-term prognosis of these patients is still unknown.