The impact of extensive clonal growth on fine-scale mating patterns: a full paternity analysis of a lily-of-the-valley population (Convallaria majalis).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The combination of clonality and a mating system promoting outcrossing is considered advantageous because outcrossing avoids the fitness costs of selfing within clones (geitonogamy) while clonality assures local persistence and increases floral display. The spatial spread of genetically identical plants (ramets) may, however, also decrease paternal diversity (the number of sires fertilizing a given dam) and fertility, particularly towards the centre of large clumped clones. This study aimed to quantify the impact of extensive clonal growth on fine-scale paternity patterns in a population of the allogamous Convallaria majalis. METHODS: A full analysis of paternity was performed by genotyping all flowering individuals and all viable seeds produced during a single season using AFLP. Mating patterns were examined and the spatial position of ramets was related to the extent of multiple paternity, fruiting success and seed production. KEY RESULTS: The overall outcrossing rate was high (91 %) and pollen flow into the population was considerable (27 %). Despite extensive clonal growth, multiple paternity was relatively common (the fraction of siblings sharing the same father was 0·53 within ramets). The diversity of offspring collected from reproductive ramets surrounded by genetically identical inflorescences was as high as among offspring collected from ramets surrounded by distinct genets. There was no significant relationship between the similarity of the pollen load received by two ramets and the distance between them. Neither the distance of ramets with respect to distinct genets nor the distance to the genet centre significantly affected fruiting success or seed production. CONCLUSIONS: Random mating and considerable pollen inflow most probably implied that pollen dispersal distances were sufficiently high to mitigate local mate scarcity despite extensive clonal spread. The data provide no evidence for the intrusion of clonal growth on fine-scale plant mating patterns.

Towards the onset of fruit tree growing north of the Alps: ancient DNA from waterlogged apple (Malus sp.) seed fragments.

Wild apples (Malus sp.) have been a major food source in the northern Alpine region since prehistory and their use is well understood. The onset of deliberate fruit tree growing in the area is, however, less clear. It is generally assumed that horticulture was practised in Roman times, but it might be even earlier. In the archaeological record seed testa and pericarp remains are particularly frequent at sites with waterlogged preservation such as lakeshore settlements or wells, pits and ditches, but the distinction between wild and domestic plants is not morphologically possible. With waterlogged remains being one main source of information about past fruit cultivation, we have tested the feasibility of analysing ancient DNA from waterlogged preserved bulk samples of testa fragments. We studied apple seeds from three Neolithic and three Roman sites with waterlogged preservation in the Alpine foreland. Chloroplast markers failed in all samples, but nuclear ITS1 (internal transcribed spacer region 1) of the ribosomal DNA was successfully typed in two Roman samples from the site Oedenburg/Biesheim-Kunheim (Haut-Rhin, F). The retrieved ITS1 sequences are identical to each other and are shared with wild Malus sylvestris and Malus sieversii, and with domestic apple cultivars, supporting the potential of using waterlogged remains for identifying the genetic status of apple diachronically.

Estudio comparativo y aleatorizado de la visita puerperal en el domicilio de la madre y en el centro de salud / Randomized comparative study of the puerperal visits in the mothers house and in the health center

Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad, en cuanto a evolución clínica y satisfacción materna, de la visita puerperal en el domicilio y compararla con la realizada en el centro de salud. Personas, material y método: Ensayo de intervención, multicéntrico y aleatorizado, donde se comparó un grupo experimental formado por 100 mujeres que recibieron la primera asistencia posparto en el domicilio con un grupo control de 100 mujeres que tuvieron la primera visita posparto en la consulta del centro de salud. Resultados: La visita puerperal domiciliaria se asoció de manera independiente a un alto grado de satisfacción materna con la asistencia recibida (OR 10,1; IC del 95%: 3,5-29,3; p <0,001) y a un menor grado de abandono precoz de la lactancia materna (OR 15,3; IC del 95%: 1,1-205,9; p= 0,039), que fue 6 veces inferior respecto al grupo con visita puerperal en el centro de salud (1,1 frente a 6,7%; p= 0,034). El grupo de la visita puerperal domiciliaria refirió un mayor grado de información sobre sexualidad (67 frente a 33%; p <0,001) y anticoncepción (63 frentea 37%; p <0,001) en el puerperio. No se constataron diferencias en el uso de recursos sanitarios ni en otras variables clínicas. Conclusiones: Comparada con la visita puerperal en el centro de salud,la visita domiciliaria se asoció a un mayor grado de satisfacción y adquisición de conocimientos de la madre; los resultados clínicos de ambos grupos fueron comparables, excepto en el abandono precoz de la lactancia materna, inferior en el grupo que recibió la visita puerperal domiciliaria (AU)

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness regarding to the clinical evolution and maternal satisfaction of the puerperal visit (PV) in the residence and compare it with the one done in the health center. Persons/material and method: Randomized multicentre intervention study where an experimental group of 100 women who received the first postpartum assistance in their own home, and another control group of 100 women whom received their first postpartum visit at the consultation of the health center. Results: The home PV was associated in an independent manner to a high percentage of maternal satisfaction with the assistance they received (OR 10.1; CI 95%: 3.5-29.3; p <0.001) and in a lesser degree of early abandonment of maternal breast feeding (OR 15.3; CI 95%: 1.1-205.9; p <0.039), which was six times less than the group with PV in the health center (1.1 vs 6.7% p= 0.034). The group with home PV referred a greater degree of information about sexuality (67 vs 33%;p <0.001) and anticonception (63 vs 37%; p <0.001) in the puerperal. No differences where obtained in the use of sanitary resources or in other clinical variables. Conclusions: Compared with the PV in the health center, the home PVis associated with a greater degree of satisfaction and a knowledge acquisitionby the mother, with some clinical results comparable, except for the early abandonment of breast feeding, which was favorable in thegroup with home PV (AU)

Antibiotic-lock therapy for long-term intravascular catheter-related bacteraemia: results of an open, non-comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the main problems associated with long-term central venous catheters. This study assesses the effectiveness of antibiotic-lock therapy (ALT) for treating catheter-related bacteraemia (CRB). METHODS: CRB was defined as quantitative blood culture counts through any catheter lumen 5-fold greater than concurrent peripheral blood culture, and qualitative blood culture positive for the same microorganism in all samples. Systemic treatment and ALT were started simultaneously using vancomycin (2000 mg/L) for Gram-positive organisms, and ciprofloxacin or amikacin (2000 mg/L) for Gram-negative bacilli. Heparin was added to ALT. Effectiveness was assessed by clinical and microbiological criteria. Cure was defined as negative blood cultures at both sites without catheter removal at 1 month after the completion of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 115 episodes of CRB in 98 patients were analysed. Catheters were used for chemotherapy (50 episodes), haemodialysis (37), total parenteral nutrition (24) and combined chemotherapy and nutrition (4). Median time from catheter placement to CRB onset was 105 days (IQ range 26-210). Aetiologies included Gram-positive organisms [56 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), 20 Staphylococcus aureus and 5 other organisms] in 81 episodes (70%), Gram-negative bacilli (11 Escherichia coli, 5 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 10 other organisms) in 26 (23%) and polymicrobial in 8 (7%). A total of 94 episodes were cured (82%). There were 21 therapeutic failures: 9 S. aureus (1 related death), 9 CoNS, 1 P. aeruginosa, 1 Proteus vulgaris and 1 polymicrobial. Median catheter follow-up in therapeutic success was 168 days (range 7-2740). CONCLUSIONS: ALT combined with systemic antibiotics seems to be effective for treating CRB, especially in Gram-negative and CoNS episodes. S. aureus CRB had an elevated rate of therapeutic failure.

Efficacy of ampicillin combined with ceftriaxone and gentamicin in the treatment of experimental endocarditis due to Enterococcus faecalis with no high-level resistance to aminoglycosides.

OBJECTIVE: This study tests the usefulness of ceftriaxone combined with ampicillin as an alternative to ampicillin plus gentamicin for the treatment of experimental endocarditis due to Enterococcus faecalis without high-level resistance to aminoglycosides. It also determines whether adding ceftriaxone to ampicillin and gentamicin increases the effectiveness against experimental enterococcal endocarditis resulting from E. faecalis. METHODS: Animals with catheter-induced endocarditis were infected intravenously with 108 cfu of the EF91 strain of E. faecalis and were treated for 3 days with ampicillin 2 g every 4 h administered as 'human-like' (H-L) pharmacokinetics, plus gentamicin 1 mg/kg every 8 h H-L, or ceftriaxone 2 g every 12 h H-L alone or combined with gentamicin 6 mg/kg every 24 h administered subcutaneously. RESULTS: The results of therapy for experimental endocarditis resulting from EF91 showed that the combination of ampicillin plus ceftriaxone was as effective as ampicillin plus gentamicin. The triple combination did not improve on the overall efficacies of the two-drug combinations. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its lower nephrotoxicity, ampicillin plus ceftriaxone may be a useful alternative therapy for E. faecalis endocarditis in selected patients.

Formation and accumulation of alpha-acids, beta-acids, desmethylxanthohumol, and xanthohumol during flowering of hops (Humulus lupulus L.).

Important secondary metabolites, present in hops (Humulus lupulus L.), include alpha-acids and beta-acids, which are essential for the brewing of beer, as well as the prenylated chalcones, desmethylxanthohumol, and xanthohumol, which exhibit interesting bioactive properties. Their formation and accumulation in five selected hop varieties, Wye Challenger, Wye Target, Golding, Admiral, and Whitbread Golding Variety, were quantitatively monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography using UV detection. All target compounds were present from the onset of flowering, not only in female hop cones but also in male inflorescences, albeit in low concentrations. During development from female inflorescences to cones, levels of alpha-acids, beta-acids, desmethylxanthohumol, and xanthohumol gradually increased, while each hop variety exhibited individual accumulation rates. Furthermore, these compounds were present in leaves of fully grown hops as well. The study demonstrated that key compounds for flavor and potential beneficial health effects associated with beer not only reside in the glandular lupulin structures but also are distributed over various parts of the hop plant.

Contaminación de mezclas de nutrición parenteral total preparadas en forma artesanal en terapia intensiva / Contamination of parenteral total nutrient mixtures prepared in handmade form in Intensive Care

Entre septiembre de 1990 y febrero de 1992, fueron preparadas 311 bolsas de nutrición parenteral total (NPT), que se administraron a 28 pacientes. La preparación fue realizada por personal de enfermería de una unidad de terapia intensiva (UTI), en office limpio, sin campana de flujo laminar (CFL). Luego de la infusión de la mezcla durante 24 horas, se enviaron 174 muestras para exámen directo y posteriormente fueron cultivadas en caldo cerebro corazón, durante siete días. Solo seis muestras desarrollaron microorganismos, sin correlación clínica de infección en los pacientes, al momento de la recolección (AU)

Contaminación de mezclas de nutrición parenteral total preparadas en forma artesanal en terapia intensiva / Contamination of parenteral total nutrient mixtures prepared in handmade form in Intensive Care

Entre septiembre de 1990 y febrero de 1992, fueron preparadas 311 bolsas de nutrición parenteral total (NPT), que se administraron a 28 pacientes. La preparación fue realizada por personal de enfermería de una unidad de terapia intensiva (UTI), en office limpio, sin campana de flujo laminar (CFL). Luego de la infusión de la mezcla durante 24 horas, se enviaron 174 muestras para exámen directo y posteriormente fueron cultivadas en caldo cerebro corazón, durante siete días. Solo seis muestras desarrollaron microorganismos, sin correlación clínica de infección en los pacientes, al momento de la recolección