Non-infectious aortitis: a report of 32 cases from a single tertiary centre in a 4-year period and literature review.

OBJECTIVES: Non-infectious aortitis often presents with non-specific symptoms leading to inappropriate diagnostic delay. We intend to describe the clinical spectrum and outcome of patients with aortitis diagnosed at a single centre. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical charts of patients diagnosed with non-infectious aortitis between January 2010 and December 2013 at the Rheumatology Division from a 1.000-bed tertiary teaching hospital from Northern Spain. The diagnosis of aortitis was usually based on FDG-PET-CT scan, and also occasionally on CT or MRI angiography or helical CT-scan. RESULTS: During the period of assessment 32 patients (22 women and 10 men; mean age 68 years [range, 45-87]) were diagnosed with aortitis. The median interval from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis was 21 months. FDG-PET CT scan was the most common tool used for the diagnosis of aortitis. The underlying conditions were the following: giant cell arteritis (n=13 cases); isolated polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) (n=11); Sjögren's syndrome (n=2), Takayasu arteritis (n= 1); sarcoidosis (n=1), ulcerative colitis (n=1), psoriatic arthritis (n=1), and large-vessel vasculitis that also involved the aorta (n=2). The most common clinical manifestations at diagnosis were: PMR features, often with atypical clinical presentation (n=23 patients, 72%); diffuse lower limb pain (n=16 patients, 50%); constitutional symptoms (n=12 patients, 37%), inflammatory low back pain (n=9 patients, 28%) and fever (n=7 patients, 22%). Acute phase reactants were increased in most cases (median erythrocyte sedimentation rate 46 mm/1st hour, and a median serum C-reactive protein 1.5 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: Aortitis is not an uncommon condition. The diagnosis is often delayed. Atypical PMR features, unexplained low back or limb pain, constitutional symptoms along with increased acute phase reactants should be considered 'red flags' to suspect the presence of aortitis.

Evaluation of natural zeolite as microorganism support medium in nitrifying batch reactors: influence of zeolite particle size.

An evaluation of natural zeolite as a microorganism carrier in nitrifying reactors operated in batch mode was carried out. Specifically, the influence of zeolite particle sizes of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mm in diameter on microorganism adherence to zeolite, ammonium adsorption capacity and the identification of microbial populations were assessed. The greatest amount of total biomass adhered was observed for a zeolite particle size of 1 mm (0.289 g) which was achieved on the 12th day of operation. The highest ammonium adsorption capacity was observed for a zeolite particle size of 0.5 mm, which was 64% and 31% higher than that observed for particle sizes of 1.0 and 2.0 mm, respectively. The maximum de-sorption values were also found for a zeolite particle size of 0.5 mm, although when equilibrium was reached the ammonium concentrations were similar to those observed for a zeolite particle size of 1.0 mm. It was also found that the experimental data on ammonium adsorption fitted very well to the Freundlich isotherm for the three particle sizes studied. Finally, the nitrifying reactors showed similar microbial populations independently of the particle size used as microorganism carrier. The dominant bacterial community was Gammaproteobacteria making up 80% of the total population found. Betaproteobacteria were also identified and made up 12% approx. of the total population. Ammonium Oxidant Betaproteobacteria and Nitrobacter were also detected.

Alkane-degrading properties of Dietzia sp. H0B, a key player in the Prestige oil spill biodegradation (NW Spain).

AIMS: Investigation of the alkane-degrading properties of Dietzia sp. H0B, one of the isolated Corynebacterineae strains that became dominant after the Prestige oil spill. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using molecular and chemical analyses, the alkane-degrading properties of strain Dietzia sp. H0B were analysed. This Grampositive isolate was able to grow on n-alkanes ranging from C12 to C38 and branched alkanes (pristane and phytane). 8-Hexadecene was detected as an intermediate of hexadecane degradation by Dietzia H0B, suggesting a novel alkane-degrading pathway in this strain. Three putative alkane hydroxylase genes (one alkB homologue and two CYP153 gene homologues of cytochrome P450 family) were PCR-amplified from Dietzia H0B and differed from previously known hydroxylase genes, which might be related to the novel degrading activity observed on Dietzia H0B. The alkane degradation activity and the alkB and CYP153 gene expression were observed constitutively regardless of the presence of the substrate, suggesting additional, novel pathways for alkane degradation. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study suggest novel alkane-degrading pathways in Dietzia H0B and a genetic background coding for two different putative oil-degrading enzymes, which is mostly unexplored and worth to be subject of further functional analysis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study increases the scarce information available about the genetic background of alkane degradation in genus Dietzia and suggests new pathways and novel expression mechanisms of alkane degradation.

Evidence of high individual diversity on myticin C in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis).

Several antimicrobial peptides (AMP) have been described in Mytilus galloprovincialis. However, only in myticin C a high variability on the nucleotide sequence was detected. To determine the individual variability of this AMP, the myticin C present in more than 100 mussels was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). This technique helped us to describe a very high myticin C diversity as compared with a non-immune related gene such as the beta-actin. Moreover, each mussel showed a specific and exclusive myticin C band pattern. Our results showed that the individual sequences of myticin C are unique for each mussel, independently of their geographic origin, age, sex, gonad maturation stage or aggregate where they group together on the wild. Only the animals belonging to the same family shared myticin C sequences. The comparative analysis of genomic DNA and cDNA sequences from the same individual showed that all detected variants shared a very high homology with the more frequent genomic isoforms, suggesting that all the variations were generated from the more common sequences, through a mechanism not yet determined. The fact that myticin C possesses characteristics of an immune gene, its potential antimicrobial effects, molecular diversity, as well as its early and ubiquitous expression, led us to suggest that myticin C might play an important role in innate immune defense in mussels.