Recent Advances in the Understanding of Stress Resistance Mechanisms in Probiotics: Relevance for the Design of Functional Food Systems.

In recent years, more and more scientific community, food producers, and food industry show increased interest in functional foods containing probiotics, which is a big challenge. The consumption of probiotics in the context of a balanced diet through the consumption of functional foods or through the intake of pharmaceutical preparations has proven to contribute to the improvement of human health, even contributing to the prevention of diseases. In order for probiotics to be considered suitable for consumption, they must contain a minimum concentration of viable cells, namely, at least 107 colony forming units of beneficial microbes per gram. Ensuring the viability of bacterial cells until the moment of consumption is the overriding priority of functional probiotic food manufacturers. Probiotic bacteria are subject to stress conditions not only during food manufacturing but also during gastrointestinal passage, which limit or even compromise their functionality. This paper first examines all the stressful conditions faced by probiotic cells in their production stages and related to the conditions present in the bioreactor fermentation and drying processes as well as factors related to the food matrix and storage. The stress situations faced by probiotic microorganisms during the gastrointestinal transit especially during stomach and intestinal residence are also analyzed. In order to understand the adaptation mechanisms of probiotic bacteria to gastrointestinal stress, intrinsic and adaptive mechanisms identified in probiotic strains in response to acid stress and to bile and bile acid stress are analyzed. In addition, improvement strategies for multiple stress tolerance of lactic acid bacteria through directions dealing with stress, accumulation of metabolites, use of protectants, and regulation of technological parameters are examined. Finally, the definition of postbiotics, inanimate microorganisms and/or their components conferring health benefits, is also introduced. Postbiotics include cell lysates, enzymes, and cell wall fragments derived from probiotic bacteria and may represent an alternative to the use of probiotics, when they do not tolerate stressful conditions.

Diabetes mellitus is associated to high-risk late gadolinium enhancement and worse outcomes in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with heart failure. Our aim was to analyze the clinical and imaging features of patients with DM and their association with outcomes in comparison to nondiabetic patients in a cohort of patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study of patients with DCM evaluated in a tertiary care center from 2018 to 2021. Transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance findings were assessed. A high-risk late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) pattern was defined as epicardial, transmural, or septal plus free-wall. The primary outcome was a composite of heart failure hospitalizations and all-cause mortality. Multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of DM on outcomes. RESULTS: We studied 192 patients, of which 51 (26.6%) had DM. The median left ventricular ejection fraction was 30%, and 106 (55.2%) had LGE. No significant differences were found in systolic function parameters between patients with and without DM. E/e values were higher (15 vs. 11.9, p = 0.025), and both LGE (68.6% vs. 50.4%; p = 0.025) and a high-risk LGE pattern (31.4% vs. 18.5%; p = 0.047) were more frequently found in patients with DM. The primary outcome occurred more frequently in diabetic patients (41.2% vs. 23.6%, p = 0.017). DM was an independent predictor of outcomes (OR 2.01; p = 0.049) and of LGE presence (OR 2.15; p = 0.048) in the multivariable analysis. Patients with both DM and LGE had the highest risk of events (HR 3.1; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: DM is related to a higher presence of LGE in DCM patients and is an independent predictor of outcomes. Patients with DM and LGE had a threefold risk of events. A multimodality imaging approach allows better risk stratification of these patients and may influence therapeutic options.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction is associated with impaired cognitive function: the Cerebral-Coronary Connection study (C3 study).

BACKGROUND: It remains unknown whether the presence of coronary microcirculatory dysfunction (CMD) correlates with its equivalent condition in the brain, cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The cerebral-coronary connection (C3), a prospective blinded study, investigated the prevalence of CMD in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and its association with CSVD and cognitive function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with documented CAD fulfilling inclusion criteria underwent physiological assessment of epicardial vessels and the microcirculation using intracoronary pressure and Doppler. Coronary microcirculation-related indices included coronary flow reserve (CFR) and hyperaemic microvascular resistance. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial Doppler (TCD), and neurocognitive examination were performed. Overall, 67 patients were included in the study (mean age 66 years, 73% female). Patients with abnormal CFR (<2.0) (55.2%) showed higher burden of white-matter hyperintensities: 43.2 vs. 20.0% (P = 0.044). After statistical adjustment, low CFR was associated with lower grey matter volume (P = 0.024) and with parameters of white-matter microstructural damage in diffusion-tensor imaging (lower fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity, P = 0.029 and P = 0.032, respectively). Low CFR was associated with higher resistive (P = 0.027) and pulsatility (P = 0.043) values on TCD, and worse neurocognitive test scores (lower mini mental state examination, P = 0.025, and slower Trail Making Test A, P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary microcirculatory dysfunction is frequent in patients with CAD and correlates with CSVD, abnormal cerebral flow haemodynamics, and significant cognitive impairment. These findings support the hypothesis that microvascular dysfunction in the heart and the brain are part of a single pathological process affecting microcirculation in patients with CAD. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04131075.

Low-dose Radiation Therapy in the Management of COVID-19 Pneumonia (LOWRAD-Cov19). Final results of a prospective phase I-II trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of low-dose radiation therapy (LD-RT) to lungs in the management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective phase I-II trial enrolling COVID-19 patients ≥50 years-old, with bilateral lung involvement at imaging study and oxygen requirement (oxygen saturation ≤93% on room air). Patients received 1 Gy to whole lungs in a single fraction. Primary outcome was a radiological response assessed as severity and extension scores at days +3 and +7. Secondary outcomes were toxicity (CTCAE v5.0), days of hospitalization, changes in inflammatory blood parameters (ferritin, lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, d-dimer and LDH) and SatO2/FiO2 index (SAFI), at day +3 and +7. Descriptive analyses were summarized as means with standard deviation (SD) and/or medians with interquartile ranges (IQR). A Wilcoxon sign rank test for paired data was used to assess the CT scores and Chi Square was used to assess for comparison of categorical variables. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were included. Median age was 71 (IQR 60-84). Eighteen patients (44%) previously received an anti-COVID treatment (tocilizumab, lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir) and thirty-two patients (84%) received steroids during LD-RT. The extension score improved significantly (p = 0.02) on day +7. Mean baseline extension score was 13.7 (SD ± 4.9) with a score of 12.2 (±5.2) at day 3, and 12.4 ± 4.7 at day 7. No differences were found in the severity score. SAFI improved significantly on day +3 and +7 (p < 0.01). Median SAFI on day 0 was 147 (IQR 118-264), 230 (IQR 120-343) on day +3 and 293 (IQR 121-353) on day +7. Significant decrease was found in C-reactive protein on day +7 (p = 0.02) and in lymphocytes counts on day +3 and +7 (p = 0.02). The median number of days in hospital after RT was 11 (range 4-78). With a median follow-up of 60 days after LD-RT, 26 (63%) patients were discharged, 11 (27%) died because of COVID respiratory failure and 4 (10%) died of other causes. CONCLUSIONS: LD-RT is a feasible and well-tolerated treatment that could lead to rapid clinical improvement. Large randomized trials would be required to establish the efficacy of LD-RT to treat COVID-19 pneumonia.

Esporotricosis linfocutánea en un paciente pediátrico, a propósito de un caso / Lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis in a pediatric patient, a case report

Resumen La esporotricosis es una infección fúngica de evolución subagudacrónica causada por hongos dimórficos del Complejo Sporothrix schenckii. Es más frecuente en zonas tropicales. La prevalencia en Argentina se estima entre 0,01 y 0,02%. En la mitad de los pacientes se manifiesta como una esporotricosis linfocutánea, la cual se produce tras la inoculación del hongo en la piel luego de un trauma menor. La lesión inicial es una pápula o nódulo que se sucede con la aparición de una cadena ascendente de nódulos subcutáneos móviles, indoloros y eritematosos. El diagnóstico se realiza a partir del cultivo micológico. El antifúngico de elección es itraconazol y el pronóstico es usualmente favorable. Se presenta el caso de una niña de 4 años, previamente sana, que consultó por adenopatías axilares de evolución subaguda sin respuesta a múltiples esquemas antimicrobianos, confirmándose el diagnóstico de una esporotricosis linfocutánea por el cultivo de una biopsia ganglionar.

Abstract Sporotrichosis is a subacute-chronic fungal infection caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix schenckii Complex. It is more common in tropical areas. The prevalence in Argentina is estimated between 0.01 and 0.02%. In half of the patients it manifests as lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis, which occurs after inoculation of the fungus into the skin after minor trauma. The initial lesion is a papule or nodule that occurs with the appearance of an ascending chain of mobile, painless and erythematous subcutaneous nodules. The diagnosis is made from mycological culture. The antifungal of choice is itraconazole and the prognosis is usually favorable. We present the case of a healthy 4-year-old girl who consulted for subacute axillary lymphadenopathy without response to multiple antimicrobial regimens, arriving at the diagnosis of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis from the culture of a lymph node biopsy sample.

Complete Spontaneous Regression of Lung Metastases after Resection of CIC-Rearranged Sarcoma: A Case Report.

The vast majority of patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) of the trunk and bilateral lung metastases at diagnosis are considered incurable. These tumors have poor prognosis as only a palliative therapeutic approach can be offered to patients. We report on an extremely rare case in which bilateral lung metastases disappeared spontaneously following surgical resection of the primary CIC-rearranged sarcoma with no addition of chemotherapy or any other systemic therapy. A 53-year-old female presented with a rapidly swelling mass on her back. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the chest revealed a large soft tissue mass on the posterior chest wall and bilateral lung metastases. Soon after stereotactic core-needle biopsy confirmation of round-cell sarcoma, the patient underwent surgery of the primary tumor as it started to be increasingly symptomatic. The resected specimen was pathologically diagnosed a poorly differentiated grade 3 sarcoma. Approximately 1 month later, a new CT scan revealed that the lung metastases were smaller and some of them had completely disappeared. Shortly afterward, the patient started adjuvant external beam radiotherapy of the tumor bed for 14 months. During the last follow-up visit, the patient confirmed no evidence of disease for 35 months postoperatively. In parallel, a histological study of pulmonary nodules, molecular analyses of the tumor, and a comprehensive study of the patient's immunophenotype were performed to gain some additional insights in the potential causes of this rare phenomenon.

Characterization of substrate specificity and inhibitory mechanism of bile salt hydrolase from Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1098 using molecular docking analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the substrate interaction of the bile salt hydrolase of Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1098 (LrBSH) with bile acids (BAs) and to evaluate potential enzyme inhibitors based on computer and in vitro modeling assays. RESULTS: Asp19, Asn79, and Asn171 participated in the LrBSH interaction with all BAs tested while Leu56 and Glu 222 played an important role in the interaction with glyco- and tauro-conjugated BAs, respectively. A great percentage of hydrophobic and polar interactions were responsible for the binding of LrBSH with glyco- and tauro-conjugated BAs, respectively. Remarkably, the four binding pocket loops participated in the substrate binding site of LrBSH unlike most of the reported BSHs. Inhibition assays showed that ascorbic acid, citric acid, penicillin G, and ciprofloxacin decreased LrBSH activity by 47.1%, 40.14%, 28.8%, and 9%, respectively. Docking analysis revealed that tetracycline and caffeic acid phenethyl ester had the low binding energy (-7.32 and -7.19 kcal/mol, respectively) and resembled the interaction pattern of GDCA (-6.88 kcal/mol) while penicillin (-6.25 kcal/mol) and ascorbic acid (-5.98 kcal/mol) interacted at a longer distance. CONCLUSION: This study helps to delve into the molecular mechanisms involved in the recognition of substrates and potential inhibitors of LrBSH.

[Lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis in a pediatric patient, a case report]. / Esporotricosis linfocutánea en un paciente pediátrico, a propósito de un caso.

Sporotrichosis is a subacute-chronic fungal infection caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix schenckii Complex. It is more common in tropical areas. The prevalence in Argentina is estimated between 0.01 and 0.02%. In half of the patients it manifests as lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis, which occurs after inoculation of the fungus into the skin after minor trauma. The initial lesion is a papule or nodule that occurs with the appearance of an ascending chain of mobile, painless and erythematous subcutaneous nodules. The diagnosis is made from mycological culture. The antifungal of choice is itraconazole and the prognosis is usually favorable. We present the case of a healthy 4-year-old girl who consulted for subacute axillary lymphadenopathy without response to multiple antimicrobial regimens, arriving at the diagnosis of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis from the culture of a lymph node biopsy sample.

Myocardial strain in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy with feature tracking. Feasibility and prognostic implications.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Myocardial strain analysis could provide additional information to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDC). Our aim was to analyze the feasibility of left ventricular strain evaluation using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (FT) in NIDC, and to determine its clinical and prognostic impact. METHODS: We retrospectively included consecutive patients with NIDC who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance. Left ventricular global longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain were obtained from standard cine sequences using FT analysis software. We evaluated their association with a composite endpoint (heart failure, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in secondary prevention, or death). RESULTS: FT analysis could be performed in all of the 98 patients (mean age 68±13 years, 72% men). Intra- and interobserver concordance was good for global longitudinal and circumferential strain but was worse for radial strain. Global circumferential strain was independently associated (OR, 1.16; P=.045) with LVEF normalization during follow-up and was the only morphological parameter independently associated with the composite endpoint (OR, 1.15; P=.038). A cutoff value <-8.2% was able to predict the incidence of this event during follow-up (log-rank 4.6; P=.032). CONCLUSIONS: Left ventricular strain analysis with FT is feasible and reproducible in NIDC. Global circumferential strain was able to predict LVEF recovery and the appearance of major cardiovascular events during follow-up.

Low-Dose Radiation Therapy in the Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pneumonia (LOWRAD-Cov19): Preliminary Report.

PURPOSE: Low-dose radiation therapy (LD-RT) has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect, and preliminary results suggest it is feasible to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective, single-arm, phase 1/2 clinical trial enrolling patients aged ≥50 years, who were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive, at phase 2 or 3 with lung involvement at imaging study and oxygen requirement. Patients received 100 cGy to total lungs in a single fraction. Primary outcome was radiologic response using severity and extension score on baseline computed tomography (CT), at days 3 and 7 after LD-RT. Secondary outcomes were toxicity using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v.5.0, duration of hospitalization, blood work evolution, and oxygen requirements using SatO2/FiO2 index (SAFI), at days 3 and 7 after LD-RT. RESULTS: Nine patients were included. Median age was 66 (interquartile range, 57-77). Severity score was stable or decreased in the third CT but was not statistically significant (P = .28); however, there were statistically significant changes in the extension score (P = .03). SAFI index significantly improved 72 hours and 1 week after LD-RT (P = .01). Inflammatory blood parameters decreased 1 week after RT compared with baseline; only lactate dehydrogenase decreased significantly (P = .04). Two patients presented grade 2 lymphopenia after RT and another (with baseline grade 3) worsened to grade 4. Overall, the median number of days of hospitalization was 59 (range, 26-151). After RT the median number of days in the hospital was 13 (range, 4-77). With a median follow-up after RT of 112 days (range, 105-150), 7 patients were discharged and 2 patients died, 1 due to sepsis and the other with severe baseline chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from COVID-19 pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results show that LD-RT was a feasible and well-tolerated treatment, with potential clinical improvement. Randomized trials are needed to establish whether LD-RT improves severe pneumonia.

Diagnosing Aortic Intramural Hematoma: Current Perspectives.

Aortic intramural hematoma (AIH) is an entity within the acute aortic syndrome. Combination of a priori probability, clinical history, laboratory blood test and imaging techniques are the basis for diagnosis of AIH. This review is focused on all aspects related to diagnosis of patients with AIH, from clinical to imaging and analytical.

Tuberculosis y síndrome inflamatorio de reconstitución inmunológica. Caso pediátrico / Tuberculosis and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Pediatric case

La tuberculosis es una enfermedad muy frecuente en nuestro medio. A pesar de que la detección precoz y el tratamiento adecuado logran la curación en la mayoría de los pacientes, la dificultad en el diagnóstico, el abandono del tratamiento y la aparición de resistencia a los fármacos tradicionales generan que, en la actualidad, continúe siendo un importante problema de salud pública. En la Argentina, la tasa de morbilidad es de 25/100 000 habitantes, con un leve aumento en la mortalidad.Se presenta el caso de una paciente pediátrica con tuberculosis, que tuvo múltiples complicaciones asociadas a la enfermedad y a su tratamiento, entre las cuales se incluye el síndrome in-flamatorio de reconstitución inmunológica, también conocido como reacción paradojal al tratamiento antituberculoso. Este representa una consecuencia clínica adversa al restablecimien-to de la inmunidad en el paciente que padece una infección sistémica grave, como la tuberculosis miliar.

Tuberculosis is a very frequent disease in our environment. Although early detection and adequate treatment achieve cure in most patients, the difficulty in diagnosis, the abandonment of treatment and the appearance of resistance to traditional drugs generate that at present it continues to represent an im-portant public health problem. In Argentina, the morbidity rate is 25/100,000 inhabitants, with a slight increase in mortality.We present the case of a pediatric patient with tuberculosis and multiple complications associated with the disease and its treatment. One of these complications was the immune re-constitution inflammatory syndrome or paradoxical reaction to antituberculosis treatment. It represents an adverse clinical con-sequence of the restoration of immunity in the patient suffering from a serious systemic infection such as miliary tuberculosis.

[Tuberculosis and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Pediatric case]. / Tuberculosis y síndrome inflamatorio de reconstitución inmunológica. Caso pediátrico.

Tuberculosis is a very frequent disease in our environment. Although early detection and adequate treatment achieve cure in most patients, the difficulty in diagnosis, the abandonment of treatment and the appearance of resistance to traditional drugs generate that at present it continues to represent an important public health problem. In Argentina, the morbidity rate is 25/100,000 inhabitants, with a slight increase in mortality. We present the case of a pediatric patient with tuberculosis and multiple complications associated with the disease and its treatment. One of these complications was the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome or paradoxical reaction to antituberculosis treatment. It represents an adverse clinical consequence of the restoration of immunity in the patient suffering from a serious systemic infection such as miliary tuberculosis.

La tuberculosis es una enfermedad muy frecuente en nuestro medio. A pesar de que la detección precoz y el tratamiento adecuado logran la curación en la mayoría de los pacientes, la dificultad en el diagnóstico, el abandono del tratamiento y la aparición de resistencia a los fármacos tradicionales generan que, en la actualidad, continúe siendo un importante problema de salud pública. En la Argentina, la tasa de morbilidad es de 25/100 000 habitantes, con un leve aumento en la mortalidad. Se presenta el caso de una paciente pediátrica con tuberculosis, que tuvo múltiples complicaciones asociadas a la enfermedad y a su tratamiento, entre las cuales se incluye el síndrome inflamatorio de reconstitución inmunológica, también conocido como reacción paradojal al tratamiento antituberculoso. Este representa una consecuencia clínica adversa al restablecimiento de la inmunidad en el paciente que padece una infección sistémica grave, como la tuberculosis miliar.

Evaluation of tumor response after stereotactic body radiation therapy for lung cancer: Role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of patients who fail to lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is vital as they can benefit from salvage therapy. Main guidelines recommend computed tomography (CT) to assess response and use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT only when a local recurrence is suspected in CT. The pattern of radiation-induced lung injury caused by SBRT is different from changes seen after conventional radiation therapy in terms of extent, time of manifestation, and morphologic characteristics, and knowing this is crucial for proper monitoring of the tumor response. In certain cases, it may be difficult to differentiate response from progression or recurrence on CT and, in addition, some changes in CT take a long time to evolve before they are considered suspicious, making early diagnosis difficult. Metabolic changes often precede morphological changes, so 18F-FDG PET/CT quantitative and qualitative metabolic criteria can be useful in assessing early response and detecting relapses. However, the optimal practice for follow-up remains unclear and there is an active search for imaging markers for recurrent disease, including CT texture analysis, biomarker assays, new PET/CT isotopes, and magnetic resonance imaging. AIM: The aim of the study was to review the radiological changes that are objectified after pulmonary SBRT and the metabolic changes in 1F-FDG PET/CT, to assess the usefulness of following up patients with 18F-FDG PET/CT. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: At present, the evaluation of response and diagnosis of relapse after SBRT are difficult and the incorporation of routine 18F-FDG PET/CT may have value in early diagnosis of relapse when the patient may still benefit from rescue treatment.

Efecto antifúngico y antimicotoxigénico de Lactobacillus plantarum CRL 778 a diferentes valores de actividad de agua / Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum CRL 778 at different water activity values

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by filamentous fungi with high impact Lactic acid bacteria; in food safety due to its toxicity. In the last decade, the presence of OTA was widely reported in different foods. In this study, the ability of Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum CRL 778 to control growth and OTA production by Aspergillus (A.) niger 13D strain, at different water activity (a w) values (0.955, 0.964, 0.971, 0.982, and 0.995) was determined in vitro. Both parame ters were significantly (p<0.05) reduced by the lactobacilli and the effect depended on a w. Greatest growth rate inhibition (46.9%) was obtained at a w = 0.995, which is the most suitable value for growth and production of antifungal metabolites (lactic acid, acetic acid, phenyllac-tic and hydroxyl-phenyllactic acids) by L. plantarum CRL 778. Besides, morphological changes and inhibition of melanin synthesis were observed in colonies of A. niger 13D in presence of L. plantarum CRL 778 at a w ranged between 0.971 and 0.995. In addition, maximum reduction (90%) of OTA production took place at a w = 0.971, while inhibition of fungi growth was more evident at a w =0.995. These findings suggest that L. plantarum CRL 778 could be used for control of ochratoxigenic fungal growth and OTA contamination in different fermented foods with a w values between 0.971 and 0.995.

Ocratoxina A (OTA) es una micotoxina producida por hongos filamentosos con un alto impacto en la seguridad alimentaria debido a su toxicidad. En la última década se ha reportado ampliamente a nivel mundial, la presencia de OTA en diversos alimentos. En este estudio se evaluó in vitro, la capacidad de Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum CRL 778 de controlar el crecimiento y la producción de OTA por Aspergillus (A.) niger 13D, a diferentes valores de actividad de agua (a w): 0.955, 0.964, 0.971,0.982 y 0.995). La cepa láctica redujo significativamente (p <0.05) ambos parámetros, siendo el efecto dependiente del valor de a w. La mayor inhibición del crecimiento (46.9%) se obtuvo a a w =0.995, valor más adecuado para el crecimiento y producción de metabolitos antifúngicos (ácido láctico, ácido acético, ácidos fenil-láctico e hidroxi-fenil láctico) por la cepa láctica. Además, se observaron cambios morfológicos en las colonias de A. niger 13D, crecidas en presencia de L. plantarum CRL 778 a valores de a w de 0.971 y 0.995. El porcentaje máximo de reducción en la producción de OTA (90%) por la cepa láctica se observó a un valor de a w = 0.971, mientras la inhibición del crecimiento fúngico fue mayor cuando a w = 0.995. Estos hallazgos sugieren que L. plantarum CRL 778 podría emplearse para el control de la contaminación por hongos ocratoxigénicos en alimentos con valores de aw comprendidos entre 0.971-0.995.

IgG4-aortitis among thoracic aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of aortitis in patients with thoracic aortic diseases is not well established. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency and clinical course of patients with aortitis in a surgical series. METHODS: 320 consecutive patients with ascending aorta/aortic arch aneurysm or acute aortic syndrome who underwent surgery from 2012 to 2017 in a single tertiary referral hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Epidemiological data, clinical course and variables related to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up were collected from patients with histologically proven aortitis. RESULTS: From 320 examined aortic samples, 279 (87.2%) thoracic aneurysms and 41 acute aortic syndromes (12.8%), 9 (2.8%) were aortitis: 3 cases of Takayasu's arteritis, 3 of IgG4-related aortitis, 2 of giant cell, and 1 classified as idiopathic. Median age at surgery was 53.4 (51-69.2) years and six cases were female. Seven patients presented with non-specific symptoms and the diagnosis was made at pathology. Surgery was elective in eight patients and emergent in one case of IgG4-related aortitis. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) was performed for disease extension study and as a monitoring technique during the follow-up of five patients, with just one case performed presurgically. All the patients with IgG4-related disease showed extrathoracic aortic involvement. There were no deaths, neither in-hospital nor during the 1.7 years of median follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In surgically treated thoracic aorta pathology, the frequency of aortitis is low; IgG4-related disease is among the most common aetiologies with a frequency similar to other types of aortitis, such as Takayasu's and giant cell arteritis, and clinical manifestations are non-specific making presurgical diagnosis difficult. 18F-FDG PET/CT allows a better assessment of disease extension and therapeutic response. Surgery can be successfully performed and corticosteroid therapy ensures a good mid-term follow-up.

Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum CRL 778 at different water activity values.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by filamentous fungi with high impact in food safety due to its toxicity. In the last decade, the presence of OTA was widely reported in different foods. In this study, the ability of Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum CRL 778 to control growth and OTA production by Aspergillus (A.) niger 13D strain, at different water activity (aw) values (0.955, 0.964, 0.971, 0.982, and 0.995) was determined in vitro. Both parameters were significantly (p<0.05) reduced by the lactobacilli and the effect depended on aw. Greatest growth rate inhibition (46.9%) was obtained at aw=0.995, which is the most suitable value for growth and production of antifungal metabolites (lactic acid, acetic acid, phenyllactic and hydroxyl-phenyllactic acids) by L. plantarum CRL 778. Besides, morphological changes and inhibition of melanin synthesis were observed in colonies of A. niger 13D in presence of L. plantarum CRL 778 at aw ranged between 0.971 and 0.995. In addition, maximum reduction (90%) of OTA production took place at aw=0.971, while inhibition of fungi growth was more evident at aw=0.995. These findings suggest that L. plantarum CRL 778 could be used for control of ochratoxigenic fungal growth and OTA contamination in different fermented foods with aw values between 0.971 and 0.995.

Metástasis mandibular: informe de un caso clínico / Mandibular metastasis: report of a clinical case

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo describir un caso clínico de metástasis mandibular, que según la literatura actual es de baja prevalencia. Una paciente de 60 años de edad acudió a la consulta por tumefacción y dolor del lado derecho de la mandíbula. Se realizó una tomografía axial computada de maxilar inferior y se detectó una lesión osteolítica. El examen histopatológico del tejido óseo incisional informó metástasis. A partir de este resultado, la paciente fue derivada al Departamento de Oncología, donde inició el tratamiento correspondiente y falleció a los pocos meses del diagnóstico. A pesar de la baja prevalencia de metástasis maxilar, esta debe considerarse especialmente en pacientes con presencia de tumefacción, dolor y parestesia de aparición repentina y etiología desconocida (AU)

The aim of this work is to describe a clinical case of mandibular metastasis that, according to the current literature, occurs with low frequency. A 60 year old female patient showed swelling and pain on the right side of the jaw. Axial computed tomography of the lower maxilla was performed, detecting an osteolytic lesion. Histopathological diagnosis of metastatic tissue was reported after biopsy of incisional bone tissue and the patient was referred to the oncology department for treatment and died a few months after the diagnosis. Despite the infrequent appearance of maxillary metastases, they should be considered especially in patients with presence of swelling, pain and sudden onset paraesthesia of unknown etiology (AU)

New insights into bacterial bile resistance mechanisms: the role of bile salt hydrolase and its impact on human health.

Bile acids (BA), the major components of bile, are biological detergents that facilitate the emulsification and solubilization of dietary lipids and also display potent antimicrobial activity, the bacterial membranes being their main targets. Considering the complicated nature of the stress produced by bile and BA, the microorganism tolerance requires different defence mechanisms including the presence of efflux pumps, bile salt hydrolase (BSH) enzyme, the intrinsic capacity of cells to maintain intracellular homeostasis and modifications in the architecture and composition of the cell membrane. Besides, the expression of proteins involved in carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, amino acid and nitrogenous base biosynthesis, and general stress response are commonly affected by the presence of bile. Among the microbial transformations, deconjugation of BA by BSH is the most important. Several studies indicate that BSH activity affects both the host physiology and the microbiota. In fact, it was strongly suggested that BSH could play an important role in the colonization and survival of bacteria in the gut. Also, recent work has shown that BSH and free BA participate in a variety of metabolic processes that include regulation of dietary lipid absorption, cholesterol metabolism, and energy and inflammation homeostasis. In this review we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the tolerance of bacteria to bile, with special emphasis on the contributions of studies applying an omic approach. Besides, the physiological and ecological role of BSH enzyme and its relevance to human health as well as the function of bile acid as metabolic regulator are also discussed.