Towards carotenoid biofortification in wheat: identification of XAT-7A1, a multicopy tandem gene responsible for carotenoid esterification in durum wheat.

Yellow pigment content, mainly due to the accumulation of carotenoids, is a quality trait in durum wheat grain as it confers the bright yellow color to pasta preferred by consumers. Also, carotenoids are essential nutrients exerting important biological functions in human health. Consequently, biofortification strategies have been developed in many crops to increase carotenoid content. In this context, carotenoid esterification is emerging as a new breeding target for wheat biofortification, as carotenoid esters have been found to promote both carotenoid accumulation and stability. Until recently, no carotenoid esters have been identified in significant proportions in durum wheat grains, and interspecific breeding programs have been started to transfer esterification ability from common wheat and Hordeum chilense.In this work, XAT-7A1 is identified as the gene responsible for carotenoid esterification in durum wheat. Sequencing, copy number variation and mapping results show that XAT-7A1 is organized as tandem or proximal GDSL esterase/lipase copies in chromosome 7A. Three XAT-7A1 haplotypes are described: Type 1 copies, associated with high levels of carotenoid esters (diesters and monoesters) production and high expression in grain development; Type 2 copies, present in landraces with low levels of carotenoid esters (monoesters) or no esters; and Type 3 copies, without the signal peptide, resulting in zero-ester phenotypes.The identification of XAT-7A1 is a necessary step to make the carotenoid esterification ability available for durum and bread wheat breeding, which should be focused on the Type 1 XAT-7A1 haplotype, which may be assessed as a single gene since XAT-7A1 copies are inherited together.

Exit-site infection of peritoneal catheter is reduced by the use of polyhexanide. results of a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: One of the most common and severe complications affecting peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is exit-site infection of the peritoneal catheter; it is therefore of vital importance to prevent it. This complication has a negative impact on the success of the technique. In spite of this, there are no clear guidelines concerning how to take care of the exit site. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of polyhexanide in preventing exit-site infection over a 12-month period. METHODS: We designed a single-center, prospective, open-labeled, randomized controlled clinical trial with parallel groups. Requirements for participation in the study included implantation of the peritoneal catheter at least six weeks before entering the study and no infectious complications requiring either hospital admission or antibiotic treatment for at least three months before entering into the study. Patients were randomized to be daily cured as follows: Group A: traditional care with saline serum and povidone-iodine; and Group B: polyhexanide solution. Exit sites were evaluated at baseline and every four to six weeks or if any event occurred, according to the Twardowski criteria. RESULTS: Of the 60 included patients, 46 completed the 12-month follow-up period. Six underwent transplantation, five died and three were transferred to hemodialysis (HD). The treatment was well tolerated, with no side effects nor abandonments due to such effects. Throughout the study period, six patients (20%) undergoing traditional care and only two (6,7%) receiving polyhexanide developed an exit-site infection (p = 0.032). There were a total number of 12 infections; nine occurred in patients following the traditional approach and only three in patients treated with polyhexanide (p = 0.037). The germs responsible for the infections were: S. aureus (six cases), Corynebacterium jeikeium (two cases) and P. aeruginosa (one case) in the saline serum and povidone-iodine group and P. aeruginosa (three cases) in the polyhexanide group. The mean rate of exit-site infection was 1 episode/36.6 patient-months for the traditional care group and 1 episode/102.7 patient-months for the polyhexanide group (p = 0.017). Patients following the traditional treatment required fewer days to get infected than those using polyhexanide (p = 0.033; log rank: 4.2). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that using polyhexanide is efficient for the prevention of exit-site infections. Patients treated with this product suffer from fewer infections and need more time to become infected. Polyhexanide application is painless, no allergies have been described and it is well tolerated by patients. We therefore propose that it may be used routinely from now on for the care of healthy exit site.

Development of wild barley (Hordeum chilense)-derived DArT markers and their use into genetic and physical mapping.

Diversity arrays technology (DArT) genomic libraries were developed from H. chilense accessions to support robust genotyping of this species and a novel crop comprising H. chilense genome (e.g., tritordeums). Over 11,000 DArT clones were obtained using two complexity reduction methods. A subset of 2,209 DArT markers was identified on the arrays containing these clones as polymorphic between parents and segregating in a population of 92 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) developed from the cross between H. chilense accessions H1 and H7. Using the segregation data a high-density map of 1,503 cM was constructed with average inter-bin density of 2.33 cM. A subset of DArT markers was also mapped physically using a set of wheat-H. chilense chromosome addition lines. It allowed the unambiguous assignment of linkage groups to chromosomes. Four segregation distortion regions (SDRs) were found on the chromosomes 2H(ch), 3H(ch) and 5H(ch) in agreement with previous findings in barley. The new map improves the genome coverage of previous H. chilense maps. H. chilense-derived DArT markers will enable further genetic studies in ongoing projects on hybrid wheat, seed carotenoid content improvement or tritordeum breeding program. Besides, the genetic map reported here will be very useful as the basis to develop comparative genomics studies with barley and model species.

[Peritoneal dialyisis role in heart failure treatment, experience in our center]. / Papel de la diálisis peritoneal en el tratamiento de la insuficiencia cardíaca. Experiencia en nuestro centro.

Peritoneal dialysis is a renal replacement therapy indicated in patients with an unstable hemodynamic status. It has been used, by ultrafiltration, preferably in those patients with congestive heart failure refractory to conventional medical therapy. We present the experience of our center with five patients who were affected by severe congestive heart failure [Class IV on the New York Heart Association (NYHA) scale] and diverse stages of chronic renal failure, who received this therapy. Icodextrin has been used as an osmotic agent to induce ultrafiltration. The follow-up period ranged between 5 and 14 months (9.8 +/- 3.7 months). The results that we have found are similar to those of other studies: we observed a significant improvement in quality of life and a reduction in morbidity and hospitalization rates in all our patients. But it seems to be necessary to make a prospective randomized controlled trial with more number of individuals to confirm these promising facts, to clarify the impact on the survival, and to analyze the cost-benefit for treating patients suffering from refractory, end stage congestive heart failure.

Papel de la diálisis peritoneal en el tratamiento de la insuficiencia cardíaca. Experiencia en nuestro centro / Peritoneal dialysis role in heart failure treatment. Experience in our center

La diálisis peritoneal es una técnica sustitutiva de la función renal indicada en pacientes con inestabilidad hemodinámica. Por ello, se ha utilizado preferentemente en aquellos pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca refractaria al tratamiento médico convencional. Presentamos la experiencia de nuestro centro con cinco pacientes que presentaban diversos grados de enfermedad renal crónica e insuficiencia cardíaca congestiva, que recibieron este tratamiento. Los resultados que hemos encontrado son superponibles a otros estudios realizados: en todos nuestros pacientes mejoró la clase funcional según la Clasificación de la New York Heart Association y disminuyeron los tiempos de hospitalización. Parece necesario realizar estudios prospectivos con mayor número de individuos para confirmar estas afirmaciones, aclarar el impacto sobre la supervivencia, y analizar el coste-beneficio

Peritoneal dialysis is a renal replacement therapy indicated in patients with an unstable hemodynamic status. It has been used, by ultrafiltration, preferably in those patients with congestive heart failure refractory to conventional medical therapy.We present the experience of our center with five patients who were affected by severe congestive heart failure [Class IV on the New York Heart Association (NYHA) scale] and diverse stages of chronic renal failure,who received this therapy. Icodextrin has been used as an osmotic agent to induce ultrafiltration. The follow-up period ranged between 5 and 14 months (9.8 ± 3.7 months). The results that we have found are similar to those of other studies:we observed a significant improvement in quality of life and a reduction in morbidity and hospitalization rates in all our patients. But it seems to be necessary to make a prospective randomized controlled trial with more number of individuals to confirm these promising facts, to clarify the impact on the survival, and to analyze the cost-benefit for treating patients suffering from refractory, end stage congestive heart failure

[Nephrotic syndrome and anasarca status, secondary to treatment with tiopronin in a case of cystinuria]. / Síndrome nefrótico y estado de anasarca, secundario al tratamiento con tiopronina en un caso de cistinuria.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of cystinuria treated with tiopronin that produced the nephrotic syndrome. METHODS/RESULTS: A case of nephrotic syndrome with ascites and heart failure in a patient who had received tiopronin for the treatment of cystinuria is presented. Cystinuria as a rare cause of kidney stones is analyzed. The clinical features, diagnosis and the side effects of treatment with tiopronin are discussed. The patient recovered after withdrawal of the drug. CONCLUSIONS: It must be emphasized that patients treated with tiopronin should be screened for proteinuria.

[Systemic nocardiosis with cerebral abscesses in a kidney transplant patient]. / Nocardiosis sistémica con abscesos cerebrales en paciente con trasplante renal.

A 44-year-old renal transplant recipient, developed a systemic nocardiosis with cerebral abscess and without pulmonary involvement. Immunosuppressive therapy was discontinued and combination of surgical drainage procedures and prolonged chemotherapy with TMP/SMX were successful. His renal function remained stable and he has had no recurrence of nocardiosis.