A new minimal synthetic medium for germ-tube production in Candida albicans

A new minimal synthetic medium, with low amount of glucose, without aminoacids, vitamins and neutral pH, which induces germ-tubes production in Candida albicans, is reported in this work. The results indicate a perfect agreement between the germ-tube test performed with the standard method in human or animal serum and this test performed in minimal synthetic medium. In this medium the germ-tube test for the presumptive identification of Candida albicans can be performed with the same formality, time and reproducibility as those in human or animal serum. This constitutes an interesting finding because it is easy to prepare, to store and is highly reproducible.     

Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity and Colorectal Cancer in the Italian EPIC Cohort

Background

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Diet has been hypothesized as involved in colorectal cancer etiology, but few studies on the influence of total dietary antioxidant intake on colorectal cancer risk have been performed.

Methods

We investigated the association between colorectal cancer risk and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the diet, and also of intake of selected antioxidants, in 45,194 persons enrolled in 5 centers (Florence, Naples, Ragusa, Turin and Varese) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Italy study. TAC was estimated by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. Hazard ratios (HRs) for developing colorectal cancer, and colon and rectal cancers separately, adjusted for confounders, were estimated for tertiles of TAC by Cox modeling, stratifying by center.

Results

Four hundred thirty-six colorectal cancers were diagnosed over a mean follow-up of 11.28 years. No significant association between dietary TAC and colorectal cancer incidence was found. However for the highest category of TAC compared to the lowest, risk of developing colon cancer was lower (HR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.44–0.89, P trend: 0.008). By contrast, increasing TAC intake was associated with significantly increasing risks of rectal cancer (2nd tertile HR: 2.09; 95%CI: 1.19–3.66; 3rd tertile 2.48 95%CI: 1.32–4.66; P trend 0.007). Intakes of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ß-carotene were not significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk.

Conclusions

Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the contrasting effects of high total antioxidant intake on risk of colon and rectal cancers.     

Investigation of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon resistance mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBBML1

Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1, isolated from Poeni petroleum sludge, was able to tolerate and degrade both saturated (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-hexadecane, cyclohexane) and aromatic (benzene, ethylbenzene, propylbenzene, xylene isomers, styrene) hydrocarbons. Molecular studies have revealed that the high hydrocarbon resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 could be due to the action of members of the HAE1 (hydrophobe/amphiphile efflux 1) family of transporters. It is further possible that additional mechanisms may account for the tolerance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 to hydrocarbons, and a combination of short-term and long-term mechanisms may act together in the adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 cells to saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. β-galactosidase activity measurements revealed that there was significant induction of the lacZ gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 cells grown in the presence of either 5% and 10% (v/v) saturated or aromatic hydrocarbons, compared with control (cells incubated without hydrocarbons). Rhodamine 6G accumulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 cells grown in the presence of 5% and 10% (v/v) saturated hydrocarbons was higher than rhodamine 6G accumulation in cells grown in the presence of 5% and 10% (v/v) aromatic hydrocarbons. The study of cellular and molecular modifications to Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBB_ML1 induced by 5% and 10% (v/v) saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons revealed a complex response of bacterial cells to the presence of different hydrophobic substrates in the culture medium.     

Growth Monitoring: A Survey of Current Practices of Primary Care Paediatricians in Europe

Objective

We aimed to study current practices in growth monitoring by European primary care paediatricians and to explore their perceived needs in this field.

Methods

We developed a cross-sectional, anonymous on-line survey and contacted primary care paediatricians listed in national directories in the 18 European countries with a confederation of primary care paediatricians. Paediatricians participated in the survey between April and September 2011.

Results

Of the 1,198 paediatricians from 11 European countries (response rate 13%) who participated, 29% used the 2006 World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study growth charts, 69% used national growth charts; 61% used software to draw growth charts and 79% did not use a formal algorithm to detect abnormal growth on growth charts. Among the 21% of paediatricians who used algorithms, many used non-algorithmic simple thresholds for height and weight and none used the algorithms published in the international literature. In all, 69% of paediatricians declared that a validated algorithm to monitor growth would be useful in daily practice. We found important between-country variations.

Conclusion

The varied growth-monitoring practices declared by primary care paediatricians reveals the need for standardization and evidence-based algorithms to define abnormal growth and the development of software that would use such algorithms.     

Leaflet morphometric variation of service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) in the Balkan Peninsula

Abstract

In most European countries, the service tree (Sorbus domestica L.) is a rare and threatened species and its conservation has been recognised as a priority. The aim of this study was to asses its morphologic variation in the western and central part of the Balkan Peninsula and in southern Central Europe. Three populations were analysed: one in Serbia, one in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one in Slovenia. In each population 30 trees were selected, and from each tree 30 leaves were collected for morphometric analysis based on nine leaflet morphological traits. Univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (MANOVA) analysis of variance were used to estimate the variation within- and between populations and a discriminant analysis was performed to examine the structure of the between-population differences. The values of particular morphological traits found in our study did not differ considerably from the values reported elsewhere. The results revealed significant within- and between population variation. Variation within populations was highly significant for all the scored leaf morphological traits, while variation between populations was significant for all the studied traits except for the leaflet length. The discrimination between the three populations was significant. High percentages of correctly classified samples demonstrate good discriminating employability of the analysed leaf morphological traits and indicate differentiation of the analysed populations.