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The genetic structure of wild populations of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum was evaluated for virulence and molecular markers. Forty-five isolates were collected from five wild common bean populations located in their South-Andean centre of origin. The five pathogen populations were monomorphic in their ITS regions, but 45 polymorphic markers were identified using RAPDs. Polymorpbism for virulence was also observed; 15 pathotypes were characterized on an international set of 12 differentials. A molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) showed that a very large part of the total genetic variation was within populations. Statistical analysis showed that there was a weak though significant differentiation among the five populations for the RAPD and virulence markers. A positive and significant correlation was found between geographic distance and the distances from RAPD and virulence data, suggesting migration between adjacent populations along the Argentinian transect. Our results suggest that the Andean wild isolates of C. lindemuthianum do not reflect all the putative diversity found in the isolates from cultivated common bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plant hormonal mutants, which do not produce or are insensitive to hormones, are often affected in their growth and development, but other metabolic rearrangements might be involved. A trade-off between growth and stress response is necessary for the plant survival., Objectives: Here, we explore the metabolic profile and the pathogen resistance of a brassinosteroid-insensitive Hordeum vulgare L. semi-dwarf mutant, BW312., Methods: We investigate BW312 metabolism through a chemical enrichment analysis, confirming a shifted metabolic profile towards pathogen resistance. The effective pathogen resistance of the mutant was tested in presence of Pyrenophora teres and Fusarium graminearum., Results: Four compound families were increased in the mutant (pyrrolidines, basic amino acids, alkaloids, monounsaturated fatty acids), while two compound families were decreased (pyrrolidinones, anthocyanins). Dipeptides were also altered (increased and decreased). BW312 displayed a better resistance to Pyrenophora teres in the earliest stage of infection with a 21.5% decrease of the lesion length 10 days after infection. BW312 also exhibited a reduced lesion length (43.3%) and a reduced browning of the lesions (55.5%) when exposed to Fusarium graminearum at the seedling stage., Conclusion: The observed metabolomic shift strongly suggests that the BW312 semi-dwarf mutant is in a primed state, resulting in a standby state of alertness to pathogens., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Background: Postoperative analgesia via continuous perineural infusion of local anesthetics compares favorably with systemic analgesia. Elastomeric pumps increase patient satisfaction compared with electronic models. In in vitro investigations, infusions remained within 15% of their designated set rates. We assessed in vivo the infusion rate of elastomeric pumps in regional analgesia after orthopedic surgery., Methods: All consecutive elastomeric pumps were retrospectively studied during a 10-mo period. Perineural catheters were inserted preoperatively and connected postoperatively to elastomeric pumps filled with ropivacaine 0.2%. Before infusion, elastomeric pumps and ropivacaine were stored at room temperature. Two models of pumps were randomly used: Infusor LV5 (Baxter, France) or Easypump (Braun, Germany), both set at 5 mL/h. Nurses weighed the devices at the bedside using a portable electronic scale several times a day until catheter removal. Weights over time allowed accurate deflation profile assessment and flow rate calculation. An unchanged weight over time indicated either an obstructed catheter or an ineffective device., Results: After connection to the catheter, 88 devices did not deflate (80 Easypump of 300 and 8 Infusor of 130, P < 0.0001). One Easypump was impossible to deflate, even after disconnection from its catheter. In two cases, catheters were obstructed. In 21 cases, catheters were removed 11 to 72 h later without being tested for patency. In 24 cases, pumps correctly deflated after catheters were injected without difficulty with a local anesthetic bolus. The remaining 40 devices spontaneously started to deflate 6 to 43 h after their connection. These 88 elastomeric pumps were associated with higher maximal visual analog scale scores during the first postoperative night than devices showing immediate deflation after connection (34 +/- 21 mm vs 26 +/- 19 mm, P = 0.006). Flow rates were calculated over a mean period of 54 +/- 18 h (Easypump) and 49 +/- 19 h (Infusor). The flow rates differed from those set by manufacturers (5 mL/h +/- 15%) in 47% of Easypump and in 34% of Infusor devices (P = 0.01)., Conclusions: In vivo reliability of elastomeric pumps is different than in vitro. In the event of early insufficient postoperative perineural analgesia, an absence of deflation of the elastomeric pump must be considered. We recommend weighing these devices every 3 h during the first 24 h of infusion.

Unlabelled: We conducted this quality assurance observational study to examine the effects of a change in policy regarding preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) and indications for perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty. Two successive time periods, each including 182 successive patients treated by the same medical team and with standardized anesthesia, were compared. The first study had the following standard transfusion policy: 3 U of PABD collected (n = 119) and liberal autologous transfusion (AT). The second study introduced a specific indication for PABD, on the basis of estimated red blood cell reserve and a life expectancy of more than 10 years; 2 U of PABD was collected (n = 81), and criteria were identical for AT and allogeneic transfusion. We mainly compared the incidence of AT; allogeneic and overall transfusions; the inclusion, admission, and discharge hematocrit values; and the wastage of PABD units. This novel policy increased the number of untransfused patients by a factor of 10 (5.5% vs 56.6%) (P < 0.0001), decreased the number of PABD patients by 30% with a 2.4-fold reduction in AT (30% vs 80%) (P < 0.0001), and did not change allogeneic requirements (13% vs 15%). Although fewer autologous units were collected (172 vs 426), the wastage was higher in Study 2 (46% vs 12%) (P < 0.0001). We conclude that incorporation of patients' individual factors improves the efficiency of transfusion for total hip and total knee arthroplasty surgeries., Implications: We compared two transfusion policies for primary total hip or knee arthroplasties: first, a standard preoperative autologous donation with a liberal autologous transfusion policy; and second, a more restrictive indication for autologous donation that was based on patients' individual factors, with identical criteria for autologous and allogeneic transfusion. We found that this change of policy reduced autologous donation and transfusion with no increase in allogeneic transfusion.

Background: Human toxocariasis is one of the most common zoonotic helminthiases. The recent development of sensitive and specific diagnostic laboratory tests has led to identify a large spectrum of diseases, including cutaneous diseases, induced by Toxocara infection., Objective: The purpose of our study was to assess the risk of having a positive Toxocara ELISA test in patients with different cutaneous symptoms., Methods: The diagnosis of toxocariasis was based on an ELISA test which was performed in 653 patients suffering from different skin conditions during a prospective case-control study., Results: The excess of risk (adjusted odds ratio) of having a positive result in the Toxocara ELISA was statistically significant for 134 patients with urticaria (whatever the clinical presentation) and for 22 patients with prurigo compared to a control group (249 patients). No statistical excess of risk was observed for patients with atopic dermatitis, pruritus or non-atopic eczema., Conclusion: The authors conclude that patients suffering from urticaria or prurigo should be tested for Toxocara infection. Whether these patients should be treated with anthelminthic drugs remains to be determined in further studies., (Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The infection by Toxocara canis transmitted by dogs (30% of them are infected in our countries) and less frequently by cats lead to larva migrans visceral syndrome with neurological manifestations, ophtalmological affection and various cutaneous manifestations observed in 24% of the extra-ocular infections: chronic urticaria often associated with asthmatic manifestations and chronic rhinitis, angio-oedema or local oedema reaching particularly the eyclid, chronic pruritus associated with lesions due to scratching or to nodular prurigo. An hypereosinophilia is an argument in favour of a progressive infection. High total IgE is an hallmark of visceral infections by parasites and total IgE level is well correlated with the presence of intra-tissular larva. The serological diagnosis is based on the determination of specific IgG by ELISA which appears also to be interesting for the patient's follow up. The western blot method seems to be more specific than the other methods and so is useful to confirm a diagnosis. The treatment given as early as possible is based on the use of diethylcarbamazine but also of thiabendazole, albendazole and mebendazole. Prophylaxis of toxocara infection includes the prohibition of dog access to children games areas but also a frequent turn over of the sand in public parks.

We report a case of calcifying panniculitis which occurred in a 67-year old woman suffering from chronic renal failure and primarily involved anticoagulant injection sites. Calcifying panniculitis is a rare condition belonging to the spectrum of calciphylaxis first described by Selye in 1962. This disease seems to imply necessarily a specific morbid background including renal failure together with calcium-phosphate metabolism impairment. Following the action of a so-called "challenger" (in the present case calcium heparinate [Calciparine], a subcutaneously administered anticoagulant drug), the lesions start as painful subcutaneous nodules soon turning into plaques of necrosis. The area involved mainly includes the abdomen and thighs, due to the preferential distribution of fat and the classical use of such regions for subcutaneous injections. In our patients, histological examination disclosed an initial involvement of subcutaneous fat vessels mimicking mediacalcosis, soon followed by calcium-phosphate deposits within interadipocyte spaces. An electron microscopy study confirmed the presence of calcium crystals within the cytoplasms of some connective tissue cells and the extracellular matrix. From a review of the literature, it seems reasonable to normalize the calcium-phosphate product by reducing hyperparathyroidism as a first therapeutic step. Then, wide surgical excision of the necrotic areas should be performed to rule out any possibility of self worsening of the lesions and provide the best chance of healing without superinfection. The use of diphosphonates on pathophysiological grounds is discussed.

Tetracycline is one of the most widely used antibiotics. It may share some properties with conventional immunosuppressive drugs and act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of inflammatory disease. This article reviews cutaneous diseases that have been treated with tetracyclines and their antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive properties.

Morbidity after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages is proceeding from many factors; ischemic etiology is underestimated and frequently thought to be vasospasm related only. Other undoubted mechanisms are in the setting of ischemic disorders after ruptured aneurysms. The management of these disorders is relevant of new calcium blockers. Early administration of prophylactically oral nimodipine, with temporary intravenous administration of the therapy after surgery or in the setting of delayed ischemic deterioration, were assigned to 36 patients with aneurysm surgery. Efficacy was judged on prevention and outcome of ischemic disorders at discharge and three months later using the Glasgow Outcome Scale. On all, twenty-nine patients were disabled from any etiology; twenty made full or improved recoveries at discharge; twenty-eight get independent conditions of life at 3 months. Fourteen patients have return to their pre-rupture activity. Twenty-two surgical patients (61%) set an undoubtly ischemic disability during any time of their hospitalization, but many etiologies were identified in majority of cases. Spasm is the main factor of stroke in only 6 patients, and one of the ischemic factors in 15 cases. Among these ischemic deteriorations, twenty improved or made full recovery at discharge and get independent life at 3 months. No death with spasm. These data support the assumption that vasodilatating is not the only mode of nimodipine action. Hypervolemia must be adjunct with nimodipine to prevent regional hypoperfusion.