Analysis of Genetic Diversity of Fusarium tupiense, the Main Causal Agent of Mango Malformation Disease in Southern Spain.

Mango malformation disease (MMD) has become an important global disease affecting this crop. The aim of this study was to identify the main causal agents of MMD in the Axarquía region of southern Spain and determine their genetic diversity. Fusarium mangiferae was previously described in the Axarquía region but it represented only one-third of the fusaria recovered from malformed trees. In the present work, fusaria associated with MMD were analyzed by arbitrary primed polymerase chain reaction (ap-PCR), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), vegetative compatibility grouping (VCG), a PCR screen for mating type idiomorph, and phylogenetic analyses of multilocus DNA sequence data to identify and characterize the genetic diversity of the MMD pathogens. These analyses confirmed that 92 of the isolates were F. tupiense, which was previously only known from Brazil and Senegal. In addition, two isolates of a putatively novel MMD pathogen were discovered, nested within the African clade of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex. The F. tupiense isolates all belonged to VCG I, which was first described in Brazil, and the 11 isolates tested showed pathogenicity on mango seedlings. Including the prior discovery of F. mangiferae, three exotic MMD pathogenic species have been found in southern Spain, which suggests multiple independent introductions of MMD pathogens in the Axarquía region.

Comparative Genomics Within the Bacillus Genus Reveal the Singularities of Two Robust Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Biocontrol Strains.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CECT 8237 and CECT 8238, formerly known as Bacillus subtilis UMAF6639 and UMAF6614, respectively, contribute to plant health by facing microbial pathogens or inducing the plant's defense mechanisms. We sequenced their genomes and developed a set of ad hoc scripts that allowed us to search for the features implicated in their beneficial interaction with plants. We define a core set of genes that should ideally be found in any beneficial Bacillus strain, including the production of secondary metabolites, volatile compounds, metabolic plasticity, cell-to-cell communication systems, and biofilm formation. We experimentally prove that some of these genetic elements are active, such as i) the production of known secondary metabolites or ii) acetoin and 2-3-butanediol, compounds that stimulate plant growth and host defense responses. A comparison with other Bacillus genomes permits us to find differences in the cell-to-cell communication system and biofilm formation and to hypothesize variations in their persistence and resistance ability in diverse environmental conditions. In addition, the major protection provided by CECT 8237 and CECT 8238, which is different from other Bacillus strains against bacterial and fungal melon diseases, permits us to propose a correlation with their singular genetic background and determine the need to search for additional blind biocontrol-related features.

Evaluation of a lifestyle modification program for treatment of overweight and nonmorbid obesity in primary healthcare and its influence on health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The impact of overweight and nonmorbid obesity on health-related quality of life (HRQL) has not been widely researched. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a lifestyle modification program (LMP) focused on diet, exercise, and psychological support on HRQL in overweight and nonmorbidly obese patients treated in a primary healthcare setting. METHODS: Sixty patients with grade II overweight and nonmorbid grade I-II obesity were included in this open pilot clinical trial; subjects' ages ranged from 18 to 50 years. They were provided with an LMP combining nutrition education, physical activity, and psychological support. Subjects attended group sessions every 2 weeks. The main outcome measures at baseline and 6 months were body composition parameters (body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist circumference) and HRQL using the 1.4 Spanish version of the SF-36 questionnaire. The questionnaire yields an 8-scale profile of physical functioning (PF), role--physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role--emotional (RE), mental health (MH), and general health (GH) factors. RESULTS: The LMP achieved improvements in SF-36 subscales at the end of the intervention: PF (80.37 ± 18.90 vs 89.40 ± 13.95, P < .001), RP (20.37 ± 9.10 vs 23.14 ± 6.67, P < .05), VT (58.71 ± 21.98 vs 70.91 ± 26.56, P < .01), SF (79.62 ± 27.76 vs 86.57 ± 25.45, P < .03), and GH (61.03 ± 19.13 vs 69.42 ± 18.80, P < .001). CONCLUSION: An LMP focused on balanced and moderate energy-restricted diets, increased physical activity, and psychological support may improve the anthropometric parameters and the quality of life in moderately obese patients treated in a primary healthcare center.

A Survey for 'Candidatus Liberibacter' Species in South Africa Confirms the Presence of Only 'Ca. L. africanus' in Commercial Citrus.

Greening disease of citrus is a serious disease known in South Africa since the late 1920s. In South Africa, it is associated with infection by 'Candidatus Liberibacter africanus', a heat sensitive, phloem-limited, noncultured alpha-proteobacterium. Huanglongbing (HLB), a similar, but more devastating disease that was described initially from China but which now occurs in several citrus producing countries, is associated with a different Liberibacter species, 'Ca. L. asiaticus'. A 'Ca. L. africanus' subspecies, 'Ca. L. africanus subsp. capensis', has been found only in South Africa infecting an indigenous Rutaceous species, Calodendrum capense (Cape Chestnut), in the Western Cape in 1995. The discovery of a new Liberibacter species in Brazil, 'Ca. L. americanus', and the spread of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' to a number of additional countries over the last few years prompted us to assess whether only 'Ca. L. africanus' is present in commercial citrus orchards in South Africa. Samples displaying greening or similar symptoms were collected from 249 citrus trees from 57 orchards distributed throughout the greening affected citrus production areas of South Africa. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on DNA extracts to detect the known citrus Liberibacters. Amplicons were obtained from 197 samples. None of the samples yielded a 1,027-bp amplicon indicative of 'Ca. L. americanus' infection. The amplicons of 84 samples were sequenced, and all were identical to the cognate 'Ca. L. africanus' Nelspruit sequence in GenBank. No instance of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' or 'Ca. L. africanus subsp. capensis' sequence was found. Geographically representative samples that tested negative for Liberibacter also tested negative for phytoplasmas based on real-time PCR results. Based on the results of this survey, it is concluded that to date only 'Ca. L. africanus' is associated with citrus greening in commercial citrus in South Africa.

Iturin A is the principal inhibitor in the biocontrol activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PPCB004 against postharvest fungal pathogens.

AIMS: A Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain, surviving epiphytically on the surface of fruit, was isolated while searching for naturally occurring biological control agents. This bacterial strain was characterized for its antifungal activity against seven selected fungal postharvest pathogens of citrus. METHODS AND RESULTS: To understand the antifungal activity, seven postharvest fungal pathogens were screened for growth inhibition by B. amyloliquefaciens strain. Assays using B. amyloliquefaciens lipopeptide extracts showed a strong inhibitive activity. The inhibitory effect was observed in abnormal conidial germination and germ tube development when conidia were treated with different lipopeptide extract concentrations. Further analysis using PCR and chromatography confirmed the presence of fengycin, iturin and surfactine, of which iturin A showed the strongest and most common inhibitory effect. The results are supported by site-directed mutagenesis analysis, targeted to suppress the biosynthesis of iturin A production. Fruit trials confirmed disease development inhibition when the antagonist was applied 1 day prior to or 1 day after fungal application. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the iturin family of lipopeptides are vital in the antagonism of B. amyloliquefaciens against the seven citrus postharvest pathogenic fungi tested. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: We elucidated the principal mechanism used by B. amyloliquefaciens PPCB004 to suppress postharvest disease development on stored fruits.

[Impact of clinical practice guides on the cost of caring for community acquired pneumonia]. / Impacto de las guías de práctica clínica sobre el coste del control de la neumonía extrahospitalaria.

PURPOSE: to compare the economic cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process of the community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in primary care in two periods (1999 and 2004-05). During the second period they were adapted to the recommendations of three clinical practice guidelines (CPG) on diagnosis and treatment of the pneumonia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: There were 57 episodes of CAP in 1999 and 95 in 2004-05. The cost per episode in each period is estimated. RESULTS: The total cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process in dropped in 2004-05 compared to 1999: 46.59 euros compared to 71.66 euros (p < 0.05). Six children were referred to the hospital in 1999 compared to 13 in 2004-05, there were no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the recommendations of the GPC produced a decrease in the cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process of CAP without involving a decrease in rate of resolution of the disease.

Impacto de las guías de práctica clínica sobre el coste del control de la neumonía extrahospitalaria / Impact of clinical practice guides on the cost of caring for community acquired pneumonia

Introducción: Se comparó el coste económico del proceso diagnóstico-terapéutico de la neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) en atención primaria en dos períodos (1999 y 2004-2005). Durante el segundo período se adaptaron las recomendaciones de tres guías de práctica clínica (GPC) sobre el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de la NAC. Pacientes y métodos: Se contabilizaron 57 episodios de NAC en 1999 y 95 en 2004-2005. Se estimó el coste por episodio en cada período. Resultados: Se redujo el coste total del proceso diagnóstico-terapéutico en 2004-2005 respecto a 1999: 46,59 euros frente a 71,66 euros (p < 0,05). Seis niños fueron derivados al hospital en 1999 frente a 13 en 2004-2005, sin que existiesen diferencias significativas. Conclusiones: El cumplimiento de las recomendaciones de las GPC produjo una disminución del coste del proceso diagnóstico-terapéutico de la NAC sin que ello implicara un empeoramiento del porcentaje de resolución de la enfermedad

Introduction: Purpose: to compare the economic cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process of the community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in primary care in two periods (1999 and 2004-05). During the second period they were adapted to the recommendations of three clinical practice guidelines (CPG) on diagnosis and treatment of the pneumonia. Patients and methods: There were 57 episodes of CAP in 1999 and 95 in 2004-05. The cost per episode in each period is estimated. Results: The total cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process in dropped in 2004-05 compared to 1999: 46.59 euros compared to 71.66 euros (p < 0.05). Six children were referred to the hospital in 1999 compared to 13 in 2004-05, there were no significant differences. Conclusions: Adherence to the recommendations of the GPC produced a decrease in the cost of the diagnostic and therapeutic process of CAP without involving a decrease in rate of resolution of the disease

62-kb plasmids harboring rulAB homologues confer UV-tolerance and epiphytic fitness to Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae mango isolates.

The presence of genetic determinants homologous to rulAB genes for ultraviolet (UV) radiation resistance was determined in a collection of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strains isolated from mango. The potential role of these plasmids in UV tolerance and ecological fitness in the mango phyllosphere was also evaluated. Nearly all of the 62-kb plasmids present in the P. syringae pv. syringae strains hybridized with a rulAB probe, but these 62-kb plasmids showed differences in restriction patterns. In vitro assays of tolerance to UV radiation of P. syringae pv. syringae strains showed a higher survival of the strains harboring the 62-kb plasmids compared to strains lacking plasmids when exposed to UVC or UVA+B fractions. Similar results were observed when transconjugants harboring the 62-kb plasmid were tested. Survival assays were carried out under field conditions, and a higher survival of P. syringae pv. syringae strains harboring 62-kb plasmids under direct solar radiation on the adaxial surface of leaves was also observed. When the assays were carried out in shady areas or on the abaxial surface of leaves, survival time was comparable for all the assayed strains, whether or not they contained a 62-kb plasmid hybridizing to rulAB. Our results indicate that P. syringae pv. syringae strains harboring 62-kb plasmids show an increase in ecological fitness when colonizing the mango phyllosphere.

Abordaje psiquiátrico de los trastornos de personalidad en el medio penitenciario / Personality disorders in prison, psychiatric management

Este trabajo hace una revisión del manejo de los trastornos de personalidad en prisión. En los últimos años ha habido importantes avances en psiquiatría que permiten realizar un mejor diagnóstico y tratamiento de los trastornos de personalidad. La necesidad de tratamiento de los trastornos de la personalidad es irrenunciable. Así pues el tratamiento en prisión es sintomático, centrándose en los síntomas que creen más problemas o en las alteraciones más manifiestas de la conducta

The aim of this work is to review the management of Personality Disorders in prison. In the last years there have been important advances in psychiatry that allow to realize a better diagnosis and treatment of the disorders of personality. The need of treatment of the disorders of the personality is inalienable. However the treatment in prison is symptomatic, centringon the symptoms that cause the most clear behaviour alterations

El asma bronquial en el paciente ambulatorio

El asma es una enfermedad inflamatoria crónica de las vías aéreas que se caracteriza por la presencia de crisis o episodios de obstrucción bronquial variable y reversible de forma espontánea o con tratamiento, aunque puede llegar a ser progresiva, grave e incluso fatal. En las últimas dos décadas ha aumentado de forma ininterrumpida su prevalencia y esto obliga a conocer los principales fundamentos relacionados con su tratamiento fuera de las agudizaciones. Para conseguir un buen control de esta enfermedad es necesario partir de un diagnóstico correcto, conocer su gravedad o intensidad, evitar los factores desencadenantes, realizar un tratamiento correcto, organizar un seguimiento regular a largo plazo y facilitar la educación o participación del paciente en el control de su enfermedad (AU)