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Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory chronic diseases (IMIDs) can be challenged as diagnostic test reliability could be impaired by immunosuppression. We retrospectively analyzed the Quantiferon Gold-Test in-Tube (QFT-G-IT) results of all patients with IMIDs seen at the Department of Internal Medicine of Son Llatzer Hospital, Palma de Mallorca (Spain), looking for the factors related to QFT-G-IT indeterminate results. During the study period (2008–2015), 520 patients met the inclusion criteria. Factors associated with indeterminate QFT-G-IT results in a univariate analysis were inflammatory bowel disease, disease activity, lymphopenia, and medium-to-high doses of corticosteroids. In a subsequent multivariate analysis, only lymphopenia (defined as

The incorporation of People with Disability (PWD) in organizations is a subject taken up by international organizations, such as the European Union and the United Nations, which has had subsequent consequences in Spain with the development of legislation and specific initiatives. In this paper we have considered the concept of disability as part of diversity and, above all, as a fundamental subject of human rights and justice, which has allowed us to include the collective of PWD among the stakeholders of companies. The research on the incorporation of disability as an integral part of the policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in companies is very recent, although the term Corporate Social Responsibility and Disability is already used. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the commitment with PWD of Spanish companies considered socially responsible by the sustainability indices used. We have included in four large dimensions (Stakeholders, Visibility, Human Resources and Accessibility) the indicators that have allowed us to analyze the information on PWD published by these companies in their sustainability reports or similar documents accessible through their websites. The results suggest that the companies are more concerned about improving their image towards the exterior than for the commitment with their own employees, which is consistent with the dimension Visibility being where the companies carry out more actions in favor of PWD.

Although foliar fertilisation using liquid forms of phosphorus (P) is not a new concept, its adoption has been hindered by a limited understanding of the variability in performance of fluid forms of foliar P applied to broadacre crops. There is a need to identify how the surface structure of leaves influences the absorption and subsequent translocation of foliar-applied P in above ground plant parts. This study examined the surface properties of wheat leaves using scanning electron microscopy and measured the recovery of foliar-applied fertiliser that was labelled with either 32P or 33P from both the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) leaf sides into untreated plant parts. We found that the adaxial leaf surface absorbed and translocated more foliar-applied P away from the treated leaf than the abaxial surface, likely related to the higher abundance of trichomes and stomata present on that side of the leaf. The recovery of the foliar-applied fertiliser varied with rate and timing of application; ranging from

Sand dune quarries are a location of common aggregate mining activity developed in coastal areas, especially in the southeast Buenos Aires province, Argentina. In this article, spontaneous plant development after extraction activity ceased was evaluated. Five areas (three quarried and two natural/conservation areas) were sampled for plant cover and composition as well as sediment characterization. Different indexes, principal component analysis, and cluster analyses were applied to compare the areas. The dominant families observed in four of the five areas were Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae, and most of the species are commonly found in sandy and humid soils and/or modified/anthropized ones. Percentages of plant cover increased with time because of the cessation of active aggregate extraction. Indexes and multivariate analyses showed that it was possible to distinguish quarried and natural areas based on composition and vegetation cover. The distribution of plant species among the four areas responded to the presence of mining activity, but it also responded to the topographical position and consequently the depth of the groundwater level. Besides these differences, the four areas shared many native species. The results might indicate that once the activity has ceased, quarried areas may spontaneously and quickly develop a plant community with some similarities to those present in the nonquarried areas. However, given that the extracting activity involves the removal of the soil, revegetation of this type of environment depends on the presence of natural areas in the surroundings, which can serve as a source of seeds and propagules for plant regeneration. Fil: Fernandez Montoni, Maria Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario; Argentina Fil: Fernández Honaine, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario; Argentina Fil: del Rio, Julio Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario; Argentina

This study aimed to analyse the effect of phosphorus (P) nutritional status on wheat leaf surface properties, in relation to foliar P absorption and translocation. Plants of Triticum aestivum cv. Axe were grown with three rates of root P supply (equivalent to 24, 8 and 0 kg P ha−1) under controlled conditions. Foliar P treatments were applied and the rate of drop retention, P absorption and translocation was measured. Adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The contact angles, surface free energy and work-of-adhesion for water were determined. Wheat leaves are markedly non-wettable, the abaxial leaf side having some degree of water drop adhesion versus the strong repulsion of water drops by the adaxial side. The total leaf area, stomatal and trichome densities, cuticle thickness and contact angles decreased with P deficiency, while the work-of-adhesion for water increased. Phosphorous deficient plants failed to absorb the foliar-applied P. Phosphorous deficiency altered the surface structure and functioning of wheat leaves, which became more wettable and had a higher degree of water drop adhesion, but turned less permeable to foliar-applied P. The results obtained are discussed within an agronomic and eco-physiological context.

A potentially fatal complication of influenza infection is the development of pneumonia, caused either directly by the influenza virus, or by secondary bacterial infection. Pneumonia related to the 2009 influenza A pandemic was found to be underestimated by commonly used pneumonia severity scores in many cases, and to be rapidly progressive, leading to respiratory failure. Confirmation of etiology by laboratory testing is warranted in such cases. Rapid antigen and immunofluorescence testing are useful screening tests, but have limited sensitivity. Confirmation of pandemic H1N1 influenza A infection can only be made by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) or viral culture. The most effective preventive measure is annual influenza vaccination in selected individuals. Decisions to administer antiviral medications for influenza treatment or chemoprophylaxis should be based upon clinical and epidemiological factors, and should not be delayed by confirmatory laboratory testing results. Neuraminidase inhibitors (NI) are the agents of choice.

The final version is available at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/y62g0r6712184032/fulltext.pdf, Plants grown in calcareous, high pH soils develop Fe deficiency chlorosis. While the physiological parameters of Fe-deficient leaves have been often investigated, there is a lack of information regarding structural leaf changes associated with such abiotic stress. Iron-sufficient and Fe-deficient pear and peach leaves have been studied, and differences concerning leaf epidermal and internal structure were found. Iron deficiency caused differences in the aspect of the leaf surface, which appeared less smooth in Fe-deficient than in Fe-sufficient leaves. Iron deficiency reduced the amount of soluble cuticular lipids in peach leaves, whereas it reduced the weight of the abaxial cuticle in pear leaves. In both plant species, epidermal cells were enlarged as compared to healthy leaves, whereas the size of guard cells was reduced. In chlorotic leaves, bundle sheaths were enlarged and appeared disorganized, while the mesophyll was more compacted and less porous than in green leaves. In contrast to healthy leaves, chlorotic leaves of both species showed a significant transient opening of stomata after leaf abscission (Iwanoff effect), which can be ascribed to changes found in epidermal and guard cells. Results indicate that Fe-deficiency may alter the barrier properties of the leaf surface, which can significantly affect leaf water relations, solute permeability and pest and disease resistance., This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (MEC, grants AGL2006-01416 and AGL2007-61948, co-financed with FEDER), the European Commission (ISAFRUIT project, Thematic Priority 5-Food Quality and Safety of the 6th Framework Programme of RTD; Contract no. FP6-FOOD-CT-2006-016279) and the Aragón Government (group A03). V.F. was supported by a “Juan de la Cierva”-MEC post-doctoral contract, co-financed by the European Social Fund. T.E. was supported by the CAI Europa XXI for a short term stay at the EEAD-CSIC.

The original publication is available at: http://springerlink.com/content/x25444326264v705/, Experiments to assess the capability of different combinations of Fe-compounds and adjuvants to provide iron (Fe) via foliar application to Fe-deficient plants have been carried out. A total of 80 formulations containing i) one of five Fe-compounds (FeSO4.7H2O, Fe(III)-citrate, Fe(III)-EDTA, Fe(III)-DTPA, Fe(III)-IDHA), ii) a surfactant (Mistol, alkyl-polyglucoside1 or alkyl-polyglucoside2) and iii) an adjuvant (glycerol, methanol or glycine-betaine) were studied with respect to leaf wetting ability and surface tension. From the initial formulations only 26 resulted in adequate leaf wetting, 20 with alkyl-polyglucoside2 and 3 each with Mistol and alkyl-polyglucoside1, and some of them (4 with alkyl-polyglucoside2, 1 with Mistol and 3 with alkyl-polyglucoside1) were found to have inadequate surface tension values for use as foliar fertilizers. In a second experiment, 20 formulations containing alkyl-polyglucoside2 and one each of the five Fe-compounds and adjuvants listed above, were used for a foliar experiment with Fe-deficient peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) grown under field conditions. Iron-deficient shoots were sprayed only once and leaf re-greening was assessed over 6 weeks for leaf chlorophyll content (via SPAD measurements) and percentage of green leaf area (via image analysis). Foliar Fe application always resulted in leaf chlorophyll increases, although different degrees of re-greening were observed for the various Fe-compounds tested. Best results were obtained after treatment with formulations containing (in a decreasing order): Fe(II)-sulfate, Fe(III)-citrate, Fe(III)-EDTA, Fe(III)-IDHA and Fe(III)-DTPA. A positive effect of adding glycerol, methanol or glycine-betaine was often observed, although the effect depended on each Fe-containing compound, indicating the existence of significant interactions between spray components. Results are of importance while trying to critically evaluate the potential of Fe sprays as a viable strategy to remedy plant Fe deficiency under field conditions., This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (Projects AGL2003-1999 and AGL2004-0194, co-financed with FEDER) and the Commission of European Communities (project Isafruit). V. Fernández was supported by a “I3P” post-doctoral contract financed by the CSIC, co-financed by the European Social Fund.

Experiments were conducted to assess the distribution of foliar applied Fe-containing compounds using microbial siderophores. Fe was measured in leaf fluid obtained by centrifugation according to a determination method based on Fe chelation by desferrioxamine E and HPLC separation on a reversed phase column. To avoid sample Fe contamination, treatments were only applied to a part of the leaf following a systematic and reproducible procedure and iron concentration was exclusively determined in fluid obtained from non-treated leaf surfaces. The increase in leaf fluid Fe concentration associated with the distribution of leaf applied Fe-siderophores, Fe–EDTA and FeSO4 × 7H2O was evaluated using Vicia faba L., Nicotiana tabacum L. and Citrus madurensis Lour. plants. The method proved useful to investigate the process of leaf Fe penetration and its distribution within the plant. Evidence of the penetration and distribution of leaf applied Fe-rhizoferrin, Fe-coprogen hydrolysis products and Fe-dimerum acid is presented in this study.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II DR2 haplotype (DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0602) has been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) in all ethnic groups and very strongly in Caucasians. To investigate the possible HLA class II (DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1) associations with MS in Malaga, southern Spain. We analysed the HLA class II sub-regions DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (PCR/SSO) for DRB1 and DQB1 and with sequence-specific primers (PCR/SSP) for DRB1 subtypes and DQA1. Possible HLA class II associations with clinical MS characteristics were investigated in 149 subjects with and 160 without MS. Associations were detected between MS and the HLA class II alleles DRB1*1501 (45.6 % vs. 21.3%, p = 0.001), DQA1*0102 (44% vs. 29.4%, p = 0.001) and DQB1*0602 (45% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.001). The DR2 haplotype (DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102, DQB1*0602) was associated with MS (43.6 % vs. 20%, p = 0.002). DQB1*0602 was the only allele that maintained an association with MS in a logistic regression model. No HLA class II alleles or genotypes were significantly associated with any clinical characteristics of MS. Our results confirm the positive association of the DR2 haplotype with MS, particularly the allele DQB1*0602, in the population studied. DR4 was not associated with the disease in Malaga. HLA class II alleles or haplotypes were not associated with clinical or demographic characteristics, or clinical form or severity of MS.

Combination therapy may benefit the subgroup of patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who do not respond to interferon beta (IFNB). We performed a two-year study of azathioprine (AZA) combined with IFNB-1b in SPMS patients who had not responded well to IFNB-1b alone. Patients with SPMS were eligible for this non-controlled prospective study if they had two or more relapses requiring corticosteroid treatment or deteriorated by at least 0.5 points on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) while on IFNB-1b in the year preceeding the study. Patients were to continue treatment with IFNB-1b (8 MIU qod, subcutaneous) and received AZA (50 mg tid, oral). Safety was assessed in terms of adverse reactions and laboratory measures graded according to the WHO toxicity scale. Efficacy was explored by changes in relapse rate, EDSS, 9-hole peg test (9-HPT), neuropsychological scores, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. Neutralizing antibodies (NAB) were measured. Ten SPMS patients (6 females) with a median EDSS score of 4.5 were enrolled. One patient withdrew because of gastrointestinal complaints, one was withdrawn owing to poor compliance, and 8 patients completed therapy. The only frequent side effect was lymphopenia, reported at least once in all patients. Annual relapse rate was reduced by approximately 50 % in the second year. There was a significant trend for EDSS increase. Total lesion load measured by MRI decreased at 12 and 24 months; only one patient had active lesions. No changes were seen in the 9-HPT. There was a significant improvement in neuropsychological tests after 24 months (p = 0.045). One patient tested positive for NAB throughout the study, and transient NAB were detected in 4 patients. In conclusion, combination therapy with IFNB-1b and AZA was safe and generally well tolerated in patients with SPMS. Strict clinical and laboratory monitoring is recommended during this combination therapy.

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important nosocomial pathogen that exhibits multiple resistances to antibiotics with increasing frequency, making patient treatment more difficult. The aim of the study is to ascertain the population structure of this clinical pathogen in the Hospital Son Llàtzer, Spain. Results A significant set (56) of randomly selected clinical P. aeruginosa isolates, including multidrug and non-multidrug resistant isolates, were assigned to sequence types (STs) and compared them with their antibiotic susceptibility profile classified as follows: extensively drug resistant (XDR), multidrug resistant (MDR) and non-multidrug resistant (non-MDR). The genetic diversity was assessed by applying the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme developed by Curran and collaborators, and by the phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated tree. The analysis of seven loci, acsA, aroE, guaA, mutL, nuoD, ppsA and trpE, demonstrated that the prevalent STs were ST-175, ST-235 and ST-253. The majority of the XDR and MDR isolates were included in ST-175 and ST-235. ST-253 is the third in frequency and included non-MDR isolates. The 26 singleton sequence types corresponded mainly to non-MDR isolates. Twenty-two isolates corresponded to new sequence types (not previously defined) of which 12 isolates were non-MDR and 10 isolates were MDR or XDR. Conclusions The population structure of clinical P. aeruginosa present in our hospital indicates the coexistence of nonresistant and resistant isolates with the same sequence type. The multiresistant isolates studied are grouped in the prevalent sequence types found in other Spanish hospitals and at the international level, and the susceptible isolates correspond mainly to singleton sequence types., This work was supported by the General Board for Evaluation and Accreditation of the Department of Health and Consume of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands (Dirección General de Evaluación y Acreditación, de la Conselleria de Salut i Consum, de la Comunidad Autónoma de las Islas Baleares). M. Gomila is the recipient of a postdoctoral contract from the Juan de la Cierva Programme of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. E. García-Valdés and J. Lalucat want to thank the support of the projects CGL2008-03242 and CSD2009-00006 from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) funding.

Introduction: Pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza causes severe lower respiratory complications in rare cases. The association between host immune responses and clinical outcome in severe cases is unknown. Methods: We utilized gene expression, cytokine profiles and generation of antibody responses following hospitalization in 19 critically ill patients with primary pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza pneumonia for identifying host immune responses associated with clinical outcome. Ingenuity pathway analysis 8.5 (IPA) (Ingenuity Systems, Redwood City, CA) was used to select, annotate and visualize genes by function and pathway (gene ontology). IPA analysis identified those canonical pathways differentially expressed (P < 0.05) between comparison groups. Hierarchical clustering of those genes differentially expressed between groups by IPA analysis was performed using BRB-Array Tools v.3.8.1. Results: The majority of patients were characterized by the presence of comorbidities and the absence of immunosuppressive conditions. pH1N1 specific antibody production was observed around day 9 from disease onset and defined an early period of innate immune response and a late period of adaptive immune response to the virus. The most severe patients (n = 12) showed persistence of viral secretion. Seven of the most severe patients died. During the late phase, the most severe patient group had impaired expression of a number of genes participating in adaptive immune responses when compared to less severe patients. These genes were involved in antigen presentation, B-cell development, T-helper cell differentiation, CD28, granzyme B signaling, apoptosis and protein ubiquitination. Patients with the poorest outcomes were characterized by proinflammatory hypercytokinemia, along with elevated levels of immunosuppressory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-1ra) in serum. Conclusions: Our findings suggest an impaired development of adaptive immunity in the most severe cases of pandemic influenza, leading to an unremitting cycle of viral replication and innate cytokine-chemokine release. Interruption of this deleterious cycle may improve disease outcome., This work has been developed by an international team pertaining to the Spanish-Canadian Consortium for the Study of Influenza Immunopathogenesis. The authors would like to thank also to the Nursery teams who kindly collected the samples. The authors would like to thank Nikki Kelvin for language revision of this article. The study was scientifically sponsored by the Spanish Society for Critical Care Medicine (SEMICYUC). Funding: MICCIN-FIS/JCYL-IECSCYL-SACYL (Spain): Programa de Investigacion Comisionada en Gripe, GR09/0021 EMER07/050 PI081236 RD07/0067. CIHR NIH-Sardinia Recherche-LKSF Canada support DJK.

Conventional Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) has been widely used for detecting copy number alterations in cancer and for identifying regions containing candidate tumor responsible genes. Recently, several studies have shown the utility of cDNA microarray CGH for studing gene copy changes in various types of tumors. However, no such studies on T-cell lymphomas have been performed. To date T-cell lymphomas analyzed by the use of chromosome CGH have revealed only slight copy number alterations and not gene amplifications. In the present study, we describe the characterization of three amplicons of the T-cell line huT78 located at 2q34-q37, 8q23-q24 and 20p, where new amplified and overexpressed genes are found. The use of a cDNA microarray containing 7.657 transcripts allowed the identification of certain genes, such as BCLX, PCNA, FKBP1A, IGFBP2 and cMYC, that are amplified, highly expressed, and also contained in the amplicons on 20p and 2q. The expresion of these genes was analyzed in 39 T-cell lymphomas and 3 other T-cell lines. By the use of conventional CGH and CGH and expression cDNA microarrays we defined three amplicons in the T-cell line huT78 and identified several novel gene amplifications (BCLX, PCNA, FKBP1A, IGFBP2 and cMYC). We showed that overexpression of the amplified genes could be attributable to gene dosage. We speculate that deregulation of those genes could be important in the development of T-cell lymphomas and/or in the maintenance of T-cell lines.