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A total of 10 field experiments were carried out during the 1998 and 1999 growing seasons both in the north (Lleida) and the south (Granada and Jerez) of Spain. In Lleida and Granada, the experiments were conducted under both irrigated and rainfed conditions, while the Jerez trials were carried out only under rainfed conditions. Ten durum wheat genotypes were used in this study. Quality determinations consisted of 1000-kernel weight (TKW), test weight, vitreousness, ash content, protein content, pigment content and SDS sedimentation test. The influence of environment was predominant in determining the majority of quality traits, although pigment content and SDS volume were also genetically controlled. Environmental effects, studied by the mean of the climatic patterns influencing each trial, showed that total water input during grain filling appears to negatively affect grain quality by reducing test weight, grain vitreousness, and SDS volume, and by increasing ash content. High seasonal temperatures increased pigment content in the grain, but reduced TKW. From the correlations between quality parameters, an inverse and interesting relationship was found between protein content and SDS volume. Relationships between quality traits appear to be influenced to a certain extent by climatic conditions during grain filling and, depending on temperatures and water input during this phase, correlation coefficients can be either positive, negative or close to zero. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The unpredictability of the Mediterranean climate causes fluctuations in wheat yield and quality, but offers the opportunity for obtaining high-quality durum wheat in terms of grain protein content. Twenty-five durum wheat genotypes were grown under irrigated and rainfed conditions at each of two latitudes in Spain during 1998 and 1999. Differences between latitudes in grain protein content and chlorophyll content in the flag leaf were attributable to nitrogen fertilization management. Cycle length until anthesis was less affected by the environment than grain-filling duration, and was longer under irrigated conditions than in the rainfed sites. A negative asymptotic curve was the best equation to fit the relationship between yield and protein content, suggesting that yield improvements in fertile environments may be attained with negligible reductions in protein content. ‘Jabato’, ‘Waha’, ‘Lagost-3’, ‘Massara-1’ and ‘Vitrón’ showed medium to high yield, yield stability and high protein content. Chlorophyll content in the flag leaf, measured at anthesis with the soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) portable field unit, may be useful for the fast and cheap detection of durum wheat genotypes with high grain protein content in drought-stressed Mediterranean environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stability of grain quality characteristics is an interesting feature of today’s durum wheat breeding programmes, due to the high annual variation in both grain yield and quality, particularly in the Mediterranean area. Ten field trials were carried out during two seasons (1998 and 1999) in both the north (Lleida) and south (Granada and Jerez) of Spain. Ten durum wheat genotypes were used, including four Spanish commercial varieties and six advanced lines from the durum wheat breeding programme of CIMMYT-ICARDA. Many quality parameters were evaluated in this study including thousand kernel weight, test weight, vitreousness, ash content, protein content, pigment content and the SDS sedimentation test. Several statistical methods and techniques were used to describe the genotype×environment (G×E) interaction and to define stable genotypes in relation to the seven quality parameters considered in this study. The partition and interpretation of the G×E interaction revealed that the joint regression analysis was not efficient and demonstrated the usefulness of AMMI for describing the interaction patterns. The study of genotypic stability demonstrated that the Spanish commercial varieties, Altar-aos and Jabato and the CIMMYT-ICARDA advanced line, Waha, had high stability for quality characteristics and proved to be the best within the pool of the studied genotypes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ten durum wheat genotypes were studied in a total of 10 field trials in three different regions of Spain, associated with two latitudes (north and south) under both irrigated and rainfed conditions during the 1998 and 1999 growing seasons. Different technological and commercial quality parameters were studied: thousand kernel weight (TKW), test weight, vitreousness, ash content, protein content, pigment content and the SDS sedimentation test. The results demonstrated the strong influence of environmental conditions on the majority of quality traits in durum wheat, with growing zones, latitudes and moisture regimes showing the greatest effects. Genotypic effects were mainly observed for pigment content and SDS volume. These appear to be predominantly under genetic control. TKW and protein content were higher in Lleida in the north, probably due to the greater amount of nitrogen applied in comparison with Granada and Jerez in the south. Grain quality under the growing conditions of Lleida, however, was negatively influenced by the high percentages of ash accumulated in the grain. In general, Granada and Jerez provided an acceptable grain quality, and Jerez in particular favoured good semolina colour and higher test weights. Moisture stress increased mainly protein content and vitreousness, and reduced TKW and ash content at both latitudes. It is clear that rainfed conditions in the south offer the best opportunity for production of durum wheat of good quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: During the COVID-19 crisis it was necessary to generate a specific care network and reconvert operating rooms to attend emergency and high-acuity patients undergoing complex surgery. The aim of this study is to classify postoperative complications and mortality and to assess the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had on the results., Methods: this is a non-inferiority retrospective observational study. Two different groups of surgical patients were created: Pre-pandemic COVID and Pandemic COVID. Severity of illness was rated according to the Diagnosis-related Groups (DRG) score. Comparisons were made between groups and between DRG severity score-matched samples. Non-inferiority was set at up to 10 % difference for grade III to V complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, and up to 2 % difference in mortality., Results: A total of 1649 patients in the PreCOVID group and 763 patients in the COVID group were analysed; 371 patients were matched for DRG severity score 3-4 (236 preCOVID and 135 COVID). No differences were found in relation to re-operation (22.5 % vs. 21.5 %) or late admission to critical care unit (5.1 % vs. 4.5 %). Clavien grade III to V complications occurred in 107 patients (45.3 %) in the PreCOVID group and in 56 patients (41.5 %) in the COVID group, and mortality was 12.7 % and 12.6 %, respectively. During the pandemic, 3 % of patients tested positive for Covid-19 on PCR: 12 patients undergoing elective surgery and 11 emergency surgery; there were 5 deaths, 3 of which were due to respiratory failure following Covid-19-induced pneumonia., Conclusions: Although this study has some limitations, it has shown the non-inferiority of surgical outcomes during the COVID pandemic, and indicates that resuming elective surgery is safe., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04780594 ., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici , which causes yellow (or stripe) rust on wheat, is a macrocyclic and heteroecious fungus. In this study, we investigated whether Berberis vulgaris subsp. seroi and B. vulgaris subsp. australis , which are indigenous in Spain, may serve as alternate hosts for P. striiformis f. sp. tritici . Wheat leaves bearing telia of an isolate of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici were harvested and used to inoculate plants of both barberry subspecies. Pycnia were observed on the adaxial side of the leaves from 10 days after inoculation (dai). Following successful fertilization, aecia were observed on the abaxial side of the leaves from 16 dai. At 27 dai, barberry leaves bearing aecia were detached and used to inoculate susceptible wheat seedlings of cultivar Morocco. Uredinia were observed on wheat seedlings from 12 days after aeciospore exposure. Eighty-three single lesions were recovered from individual wheat leaves, of which 43 were genotyped using 19 P. striiformis f. sp. tritici simple sequence repeat markers (SSR). In total, 19 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were identified among the 43 progeny isolates. The SSR genotyping confirmed that all 43 isolates were derived from the parental isolate. Seven heterozygous SSR markers showed segregation among the progenies, whereas none of the 12 homozygous markers resulted in segregation. These results demonstrated that B. vulgaris subspp. seroi and australis can serve as alternate hosts for P. striiformis f. sp. tritici , which may result in novel virulence combinations that can have a detrimental impact on wheat production. Although P. striiformis f. sp. tritici has not been detected on these barberry species in nature, this study highlights the importance of rust surveillance in barberry areas where suitable conditions for completion of the sexual life cycle may be present.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease whose main extra-articular organ affected is the lung, sometimes in the form of diffuse interstitial lung disease (ILD) and conditions the prognosis. A multicenter, observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study of consecutive patients diagnosed with RA-ILD. Demographic, analytical, respiratory functional and evolution characteristics were analyzed to evaluate the predictors of progression and mortality. 106 patients were included. The multivariate analysis showed that the diagnostic delay was an independent predictor of mortality (HR 1.11, CI 1.01-1.23, p = 0.035). Also, age (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.09-1.62, p = 0.0045), DLCO (%) (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73-0.98, p = 0.0246), and final SatO2 (%) in the 6MWT (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99, p = 0.0465) were independent predictor variables of mortality, as well as GAP index (HR 4.65, 95% CI 1.59-13.54, p = 0.0051) and CPI index (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.22, p = 0.0092). The withdrawal of MTX or LFN after ILD diagnosis was associated with disease progression in the COX analysis (HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.14-4.18, p = 0.019). This is the first study that highlights the diagnostic delay in RA-ILD is associated with an increased mortality just like happens in IPF.

This report describes the general characteristics, objectives and organizational aspects of the registries of rare respiratory diseases included in the National Registry of Rare Diseases of the Research Institute for Rare Diseases (ISCIII), in order to publicize their existence and encourage the participation of professionals. Information is collected on the following conditions: alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, idiopathic tracheal stenosis, adult pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, alveolar proteinosis, and sarcoidosis., (Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Although the apical development of wheat has been widely described, studies analysing how genetic breeding over the 20th century influenced the developmental phases and its consequences on yield generation are lacking, especially for durum wheat under field conditions in Mediterranean environments. The aims of this study were to analyse the effects of breeding in Spain and Italy on crop development during the last century, to determine whether or not breeding significantly altered the developmental phases between sowing and maturity, and to evaluate the importance of each phase in determining the number of grains per spike of durum wheat (Triticum durum) cultivars representing the germplasm grown throughout the 20th century in Spain and Italy., Methods: Eight field experiments were carried out during 4 years in two contrasting latitudes (Lleida and Granada, Spain). Plant material consisted of 24 durum wheat cultivars (12 Italian and 12 Spanish) grown throughout the 20th century in Spain and Italy., Key Results: In Spanish materials, breeding reduced the duration of the period from sowing to anthesis, placing the grain-filling period in better conditions. In those cultivars, the sub-phase sowing-terminal spikelet formation was reduced while the duration of the period from booting to anthesis was increased. The number of grains per spike increased by 23 % from old to modern cultivars, by changes in the number of grains per spikelet in both Spanish and Italian cultivars. Floral abortion from booting to anthesis diminished by 24 % from old to modern cultivars, and grain setting increased by 13 %., Conclusions: The results suggest that breeding reduced not only plant height, but also the time to anthesis. By extending the duration of the phase from booting to anthesis, which was associated with an increase in spike dry weight and grains per spike, it suggests that future increases in spike fertility could be achieved by enlarging that phase.