Bioactivity of essential oils in phytopathogenic and post-harvest fungi control.

Commercial thyme and lavender essential oils were analysed by GC/MS. Sixty-six compounds accounting for 98.6-99.6% of total essential oil were identified. Thymol (52.14 ± 0.21%), followed by p-cymene (32.24 ± 0.16%), carvacrol (3.71 ± 0.01%) and γ-terpinene (3.34 ± 0.02%), were the main compounds in thyme essential oil, while large amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes linalool acetate (37.07 ± 0.24%) and linalool (30.16 ± 0.06%) were found in lavender one. In vitro antifungal activity of the essential oils was evaluated at 200 and 300 µg/mL against 10 phytopathogenic and post-harvest fungi, which significantly affect agriculture. Micelial growth inhibition was calculated for each tested fungus and dose. Thyme essential oil showed satisfactory results with 90-100% growth inhibition in almost all the assayed fungi at 300 µg/mL, while lavender essential oil showed no noteworthy inhibition data at either dose, and its growth was even enhanced. Thyme essential oil represents a natural alternative to control harvest and post-harvest fungi, and to extend the shelf-life of agriculture products.

Evolution of lipid profile, liver function, and pattern of plasma fatty acids according to the type of lipid emulsion administered in parenteral nutrition in the early postoperative period after digestive surgery.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic effects of intravenous lipid emulsions (ILEs) used in parenteral nutrition (PN) depend on their fatty acid composition. METHODS: Subjects in this prospective and randomized double-blind study were 28 adult patients post digestive surgery. PN was started after surgery and lasts for 5 days. Randomly, patients receive 1 of 4 different ILEs: medium-chain triglycerides/long-chain triglycerides (soybean oil; MCT/LCT), olive/soybean oil (oleic), long-chain triglycerides (soybean oil; LCT), and structured lipid. On days 0 and 6, serum liver function tests were analyzed for cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins, and serum fatty acids. RESULTS: No differences were found in the 4 groups according to their gender, age, body mass index, diagnosis, baseline white blood cell, C-reactive protein, glucose levels, and other study parameters. Differential significant changes were not observed in any of the hepatic function parameters or plasmatic lipid levels between the groups. A significant decrease was observed in cis monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and a significant increase in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and omega-3 PUFA values in LCT and structured groups compared with MCT/LCT and oleic groups, and a tendency for a decrease in trans fatty acids in the oleic and structured groups was found. CONCLUSIONS: All ILEs administered were safe and well tolerated. The changes in serum fatty acids reflected the pattern of fatty acids administered with different ILEs. The group receiving the olive oil emulsion achieved a fatty acid composition of serum lipids that could offer major therapeutic or biological advantages.

Exclusión endoprotésica de fístula aortobronquial con hemoptisis / Endoprosthetic exclusion of aortobronchial fistula with haemoptysis

Introducción. Describimos el uso de una técnica endovascular para la reparación de una fístula aortobronquial (FAB) originada en un pseudoaneurisma aórtico anastomótico secundario a múltiples cirugías aórticas para la reparación de un aneurisma de aorta torácica (AAT) descendente. Caso clínico. Varón de 51 años, ex fumador, bebedor con hepatopatía crónica y con limitación crónica al flujo aéreo, que presenta hemoptisis significativa por FAB secundaria a pseudoaneurisma tras múltiples intervenciones aórticas (reparación de AAT descendente, reparación de FAB secundaria y reparación de un pseudoaneurisma del arco aórtico, incluida la arteria subclavia izquierda, mediante la técnica de elephant trunk). El diagnóstico de FAB se realizó mediante tomografía computarizada (TC), angiorresonancia y angiografía de sustracción digital (ASD). El paciente se sometió a reparación endovascular mediante un abordaje ilíaco, debido al alto riesgo de una reparación convencional. Se colocó una endoprótesis vascular dentro de la prótesis de Dacron existente, y se cubrió el punto de fuga de la fístula. La ASD de comprobación en el quirófano mostró ausencia de fugas. Al paciente se le da de alta a los 5 días de la operación, sin complicaciones, con tratamiento antiagregante. En el control a los 2 años el paciente persiste clínicamente asintomático, y no se visualizan complicaciones en las TC de control. Conclusiones. Las FAB que se presentan a modo de hemoptisis graves son un proceso de evolución tórpida y fatal en muchos casos, de difícil manejo terapéutico, especialmente en aquellos casos con cirugía previa. El abordaje endovascular es una alternativa útil en estos casos, y disminuye la morbimortalidad de la cirugía abierta convencional (AU)

Salivary and lacrimal gland dysfunction (sicca syndrome) after radioiodine therapy.

UNLABELLED: Salivary gland dysfunction has been described in patients undergoing radioiodine therapy but associated lacrimal gland dysfunction (sicca syndrome) has never been reported. We conducted a prospective cohort study with follow-up for up to 3 y in a tertiary care university center to determine the prevalence of sicca syndrome in patients after high-dose radioiodine treatment. METHODS: From January 1990 to December 1995, all patients undergoing radioiodine therapy (n = 79) with a standard dose of 925 MBq to 18.5 GBq (25-500 mCi) were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire to determine subjective ocular and oral dryness and were examined for objective lacrimal and salivary gland dysfunction. RESULTS: After radioiodine treatment, 32.9% of the patients reported subjective xerostomia and 25.3% reported subjective xerophthalmia in the first year of follow-up. Xerostomia persisted to the second year of follow-up in 20.3% of cases and was still present >3 y after the last dose of radioiodine in 15.2% of cases. Xerophthalmia persisted to the second year of follow-up in 17.7% of cases and was still present in the third year of follow-up in 13.9% of cases. Severe xerostomia occurred in 4 patients. Reduced salivary and lacrimal gland function was documented in 40 (50.6%) and 14 (17.7%) of the 79 cases, respectively, in the first year of follow-up. Objective xerostomia persisted in 13.9% of cases to the second year of follow-up and was still present in all patients >3 y after the last radioiodine application. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca persisted in 11 patients (13.9%) to the second year of follow-up but was only present in 6 patients (7.6%) >3 y after the last radioiodine application. Additionally, 28/79 patients (35.4%) who had a normal salivary gland scintigraphy previously showed reduced salivary gland function in the third year of follow-up. No significant dependence on cumulative treatment was found for objective xerostomia or xerophthalmia, but doses >11.1 GBq (300 mCi) were related to stage 3 dysfunction on salivary gland scintigraphy. CONCLUSION: Salivary and lacrimal gland dysfunction (sicca syndrome) is relatively frequent after radioiodine therapy. In most cases this is a transient side effect, but in some patients it may persist for a long period or appear late.

Fluorouracil and high-dose leucovorin with radiotherapy as adjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. Results of a phase II study.

The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of fluorouracil and high-dose leucovorin (5-FU/LV) with pelvic irradiation as adjuvant therapy for patients with macroscopical resected rectal or recto-sigmoid cancer. Following surgery for stages II-III primary (52) or recurrent rectal cancer (4), 56 patients received 8 cycles of 5-FU/LV and pelvic irradiation. 5-FU doses were 200 mgr/m2 for cycles 2-3 and 300 mgr/m2 for cycles 1 and 4-8. LV doses remained fixed at 200 mgr/m2. Pelvic radiation was started in the third week, between the first and second cycle. The total dose was 50.4 Gy. No severe complications had been recorded. The incidence of grade 3 diarrhea was 19%. Three patients presented leukopenia grade 3 (5%). In 44 patients (78%) the planned treatment could be administered. The median follow-up was 40 months (range 22-66). Seven patients had a local relapse (13%) and 6 developed distant metastasis (10%). The 3-year disease-free survival was 72% and the overall survival was 76%. These preliminary results show that combined post-operative 5-FU/LV and pelvic radiotherapy are well tolerated and present a reasonable local control and survival rates. This adjuvant treatment should be evaluated in randomized trials.

Development and validation of new screening tests for nephrotoxic effects.

Within the framework of an European Commission-funded project, groups of industrial workers exposed to heavy metals (cadmium, mercury and lead) or solvents were studied together with corresponding control groups. Eighty-one measurements were carried out on urine and serum samples and the scientific results together with individual questionnaire information were entered into a central database. Data obtained was assessed centrally and individually in subsidiary studies. The measurable contributions were assessed either singly or in combination, of smoking, gender, metal exposure and site, to nephrotoxicity. The potential value of each test as an indicator of nephrotoxicity was then assessed on the basis of sensitivity and specificity. A number of new tests including prostaglandins and for extracellular matrix components were investigated as well as established tests for renal damage and dysfunction. The data obtained from this comprehensive study emphasises the value of noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection of nephrotoxicity due to environmental toxins. The urinary profile varied with the type of environmental/occupational toxin. By careful selection of a small panel of markers they can be used to indicate the presence of renal damage, the principal region affected, and to monitor the progress of disease and damage. Biomarkers were also used to confirm and tentatively establish safe exposure levels to nephrotoxins.

Cyclooxygenase products of metabolism of arachidonic acid in mouse macrophages exposed to N-phenyllinoleamide from toxic oil samples.

N-phenyllinoleamide (NPLA), one of the major extraneous constituents of Spanish toxic oil samples, appears to enhance the cyclooxygenase metabolic pathway of arachidonic acid by peritoneal mouse macrophages. Results reported herein show an increased biosynthesis of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 by macrophages exposed to NPLA. However, light and electron microscopy failed to show cellular alterations in macrophages incubated with NPLA for two hours at 27 degrees C. These data suggest a possible involvement of cyclooxygenase arachidonic acid metabolism in the etiopathogenesis of the Spanish Toxic Oil Syndrome.

Determination of oxidation products of N-phenyllinoleamide: Spanish toxic oil syndrome studies.

The early identification of fatty acid anilides in suspect oils directed attention to their possible role in the Spanish toxic oil syndrome. These anilides or their oxidized derivatives could have been spontaneously formed during the handling and/or storage of the oil. The exact cause of the intoxication is still unknown but free radical and peroxidative mechanisms have been implicated in its etiology. Epoxy-hydroxylated derivatives from linoleic acid anilide were obtained using a model of accelerated oxidation. Their mass spectral patterns agree with the trimethylsilyl ethers of N-phenyl-9,10-epoxy-11-hydroxy-12-octadecenamide and N-phenyl-12,13-epoxy-11-hydroxy-9-octadecenamide, respectively. These compounds were also identified is rapeseed oil samples supplemented with N-phenyl-linoleamide and submitted to the reported accelerated oxidation method.