Presence of Listeria, Arcobacter, and Campylobacter spp. in dairy farms in Spain.

Bacteria from genera Listeria, Campylobacter and Arcobacter are potentially zoonotic pathogens for humans and they may be detected in dairy cattle farms. In this study the presence of these bacteria was considered in dairy cattle farms in Galicia (northwest of Spain). In the first part of the study, bulk tank milk samples were collected to determine the herd prevalences of Listeria spp. in 98 dairy farms. Additionally 83 silage samples and 97 faeces samples of lactating cows were collected. L. monocytogenes was detected in 6.1%, 9.3% and 6.0% of these samples, respectively. With regard to Campylobacter spp. and Arcobacter spp., 254 faecal samples were collected on 89 dairy farms. Campylobacter spp. was found with a herd prevalence of 36%. It was also confirmed in 20.5% of dairy cattle faecal samples. Arcobacter spp. was isolated in 68.5% of the farms and in 41.7% of faecal samples, with A. cryaerophilus being the most frequently identified species. The results related to the prevalence of the bacteria included in this study confirm their presence in high numbers in different types of biological samples from dairy farms, and suggest that more epidemiological studies regarding this bacteria need to be performed.

Determination of moisture, starch, protein, and fat in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) by near infrared spectroscopy.

The presence of moisture, starch, protein, and fat was determined in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy without any previous sample pretreatment except grinding. A set of 96 samples was used to calibrate the instrument by modified partial least-squares regression. The following statistical results were achieved: standard error of calibration (SEC) = 0.31 and square correlation coefficient (R2) = 0.96 for moisture; SEC = 0.76 and R2 = 0.92 for starch; SEC = 0.39 and R2 = 0.98 for protein; and SEC = 0.14 and R2 = 0.80 for fat. To validate the calibration, a set of 25 bean samples was used. Standard errors of prediction were 0.39, 0.90, 0.56, and 0.13 for moisture, starch, protein, and fat, respectively, and R2 for the regression of measurements by the reference method versus NIR analysis were 0.94, 0.88, 0.94, and 0.74 for moisture, starch, protein, and fat, respectively. To compare the results obtained for all 4 components of the validation set by NIR spectroscopy with those obtained by the reference methods, linear regression and paired t tests were applied, and the methods did not give significantly different results, P = 0.05.

Analysis of nitrogen fractions in silage by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen (SN), nonprotein nitrogen (NPN), and acid-detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) were analyzed in grass silage by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. A set of 144 samples was used to calibrate the instrument by modified partial least-squares regression, and the following statistical results were achieved: standard error of calibration (SEC) = 0.449 and square correlation coefficient (R (2)) = 0.98 for total nitrogen x 6.25, SEC = 0.425 and R (2) = 0.95 for SN x 6.25, SEC = 0.414 and R (2) = 0.94 for NPN x 6.25, and SEC = 0.139 and R (2) = 0.84 for ADIN x 6.25. To validate the calibration performed, a set of 48 silage samples was used. Standard errors of prediction were 0.76, 0.64, 0.63, and 0.25 for total nitrogen, SN, NPN, and ADIN (all of them multiplied by 6.25), respectively, and R (2) for the regression of measurements by reference method versus NIR analysis were 0.94, 0.92, 0.90, and 0.48 for total nitrogen, SN, NPN, and ADIN, respectively. To compare the results obtained by NIR spectroscopy with those obtained by the reference methods for total nitrogen, SN, and NPN of the validation set, linear regression and paired t tests were applied, and the results were not significantly different (p = 0.05). When mean square prediction error analysis was applied, it could be concluded that for total nitrogen, SN, and NPN, a robust calibration model was obtained and that the main error was unexplained error. Statistical data for ADIN were worse than those of the other parameters; as a result NIR spectroscopy is not an effective method for quantitative analyses of ADIN in silage; nevertheless, it may be an acceptable method for semiquantitative evaluation.

DNA ploidy and cytonuclear area of peritumoral and paratumoral samples of mastectomy specimens: a useful prognostic marker?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a possible relationship between DNA alterations in the "normal" residual mammary tissue of patients with breast cancer and survival. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital, Spain. SUBJECTS: 162 patients operated on for breast cancer between 1991 and 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cytology, histopathology, optic karyometry, DNA ploidy, and S-phase fraction measured by flow cytometry in peritumoral and paratumoral tissue. Mortality, and univariate analysis. RESULTS: DNA ploidy in peritumoral tissue was altered in 42 patients (26%), in 41 of whom the mean cytonuclear area was also altered. Of the 19 patients whose death within the study period was attributed to their cancer, 13 had peritumoral tissue in which both DNA ploidy and mean cytonuclear area were altered. On univariate analysis, there was significantly worse survival among the patients in whom both tumoral and peritumoral tissues were DNA aneuploid than among those in whom only tumoural tissue was DNA aneuploid (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of peritumoral or paratumoral tissue or both, with anomalous DNA content is associated with a reduced survival among women whose breast cancer has been treated by mastectomy. Additional studies including multivariate analysis are necessary to confirm our findings.